bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of work-related and leisure-time physical activity with workplace food purchases, dietary quality, and health of hospital employees
Authors: Feig Emily , Levy Douglas E. , McCurley Jessica L. , Rimm Eric B. , Anderson Emma M. , Gelsomin Emily D. , Thorndike Anne N.
Published: November 2019

Background. While leisure-time physical activity (PA) has been associated with reduced risk of cardiometabolic disease, less is known about the relationship between work-related PA and health. Work-related PA is often not a chosen behavior and may be associated with lower socioeconomic status and less control over job-related activities. This study examined whether high work-related PA and leisure-time PA reported by hospital employees were associated with healthier dietary intake and reductions in cardiometabolic risk. Methods. This was a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data collected from 602 hospital employees who used workplace cafeterias and enrolled in a health promotion study between 2016-2018. Participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and two 24-hour dietary recalls used to calculate Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores. A Healthy Purchasing Score was calculated based on healthfulness of workplace food/beverage purchases. Weight, blood pressure, HbA1c, and lipids were measured. Regression analyses examined Healthy Purchasing Score, HEI, and obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes/prediabetes by quartile of work-related PA, leisure-time PA, and sedentary time. Results. The mean age of participants was 43.6 years (SD = 12.2), 79.4% were female, and 81.1% were white. In total, 30.3% had obesity, 20.6% had hypertension, 26.6% had prediabetes/diabetes, and 32.1% had hyperlipidemia. Median leisure-time PA was 12.0 (IQR: 3.3, 28.0) and median work-related PA was 14.0 (IQR: 0.0, 51.1) MET-hours/week. Higher leisure-time PA was associated with higher workplace Healthy Purchasing Score and HEI (p’s < 0.01) and lower prevalence of obesity, diabetes/prediabetes, and hyperlipidemia (p’s < 0.05). Work-related PA was not associated with Healthy Purchasing Score, HEI, or cardiometabolic risk factors. Increased sedentary time was associated with lower HEI (p = 0.02) but was not associated with the workplace Healthy Purchasing Score. Conclusions. Employees with high work-related PA did not have associated reductions in cardiometabolic risk or have healthier dietary intake as did employees reporting high leisure-time PA. Workplace wellness programs should promote leisure-time PA and healthy food choices for all employees, but programs may need to be customized and made more accessible to meet the unique needs of employees who are physically active at work.
Modelling Local Patterns of Child Mortality Risk. A Bayesian Spatio-Temporal Analysis.
Authors: Lome-Hurtado Alejandro , Mendoza Jacques Lartigue , Trujillo Juan Carlos
Published: November 2019

Background : At the international scale the number of child deaths is still high; however, this figure is susceptible to be reduced implementing proper spatially-targeted health public policies. Due to its alarming rate in comparison to North American standards, child mortality is a particular health concern in Mexico. Despite this fact, there remains a dearth of studies that address the spatial-temporal identification of child mortality in Mexico. The aims of this study are i) to model the evolution of child mortality risk at the municipality level in Greater Mexico City, (ii) to identify municipalities with high, medium and low risk over time, and (iii) using municipality trends, to ascertain potential high-risk municipalities.
Methods : In order to control for space-time patterns of data, the study performs a Bayesian spatio-temporal analysis. This methodology allows to model the geographical variation of child mortality risk across municipalities within the studied time span.
Results : The analysis shows that most of the high-risk municipalities are in the north and west areas of Greater Mexico City, although there coexist some in the east; some of them presenting an increasing child mortality risk trend. The outcomes highlight some municipalities currently presenting a medium risk, but that, given their trend, are likely to become high risk after the studied period. Finally, the likelihood of child mortality risk illustrates an overall decreasing tendency throughout the 7-year studied period.
Conclusions : The identification of high-risk municipalities and risk trends may provide a useful input to policy-makers seeking to reduce the incidence of child mortality. The results provide evidence to support geographical targeting for policy interventions.
Impact of the donor-recipient gender matching graft survival from live donors donor-recipient gender matching on the graft survival from live donors
Authors: Naderi Gholamhossein , Azadfar Amin , Yahyazadeh Seyed Reza , Khatami Fatemeh , Aghamir Seyed Mohammad Kazem
Published: November 2019

Background: Several factors like age of recipient, BMI, serum cratinine, and positive history of dialysis are important in predicting graft survival in kidney transplant recipients. One factor that can affect transplant outcomes and is usually ignored is the gender of donor and recipients.
Methods: A total of 1113 kidney transplant recipients were studied in a retrospective cohort study. Several factors were taken into account for graft survival and outcomes like gender and age of donor and recipients in addition to common recipient factors like cratinine, eGFR, BMI, and positive history of dialysis.
Results: The most successful transplant based on donor-recipient gender was seen in male donor to male recipient and then male donor to female recipient. In female transplant recipients, level of serum cratinine, and eGFR, positive dialysis history before transplant, and low donor hemoglobin level can be good prognostic factors recommended to be considered for kidney transplant survival.
Conclusions: Our results suggested that gender matching for kidney transplant. Only on some exceptional occasions, male donor to female recipient kidney transplant may be successful and female donors to male recipients are not suggested, especially in aged patients with history of dialysis.
Substantial and sustained reduction in under-5 mortality, diarrhea, and pneumonia in Oshikhandass, Pakistan: evidence from two longitudinal cohort studies 15 years apart
Authors: Author) Chelsea L Hansen(Former Corresponding , McCormick Benjamin JJ , Azam Syed Iqbal , Ahmed Khalil , Baker Julia M , Hussain Ejaz , Jahan Assis , Jamison Alexandra F , Knobler Stacey L , Samji Nahida , Shah Wasiat H , Spiro David J , Thomas Elizabeth D , Viboud Cecile , Author) Zeba A Rasmussen(New Corresponding
Published: November 2019

Oshikhandass is a rural village in northern Pakistan where a verbal autopsy study from 1989-1991 showed that diarrhea and pneumonia were the top causes of under-5 mortality. Intensive surveillance, active community health education and child health interventions were delivered in 1989-1996; here we assess improvements in under-5 mortality, diarrhea, and pneumonia over this period and 15 years later.
Two prospective open-cohort studies in Oshikhandass from 1989-1996 (Study 1) and 2011-2014 (Study 2) enrolled all children under age 60 months. Study staff trained using WHO guidelines conducted weekly household surveillance and promoted knowledge on causes and management of diarrhea and pneumonia. Information about household characteristics and socioeconomic status was collected. Hurdle models were constructed to examine putative risk factors for diarrhea and pneumonia.
Against a backdrop of considerable change in the socioeconomic status of the community, under-5 mortality, which declined over the course of Study 1 (from 114.3 to 79.5 deaths/1000 live births [LB] between 1989 and 1996), exceeded Sustainable Development Goal 3 by Study 2 (19.8 deaths/ 1000 LB). Reductions in diarrhea prevalence (20.3 to 2.2 days/ Child Year [CY]), incidence (2.1 to 0.5 episodes/ CY), and number of bloody diarrhea episodes (18.6% to 5.2%) seen during Study 1, were sustained in Study 2. Pneumonia incidence was 0.5 episodes /CY in Study 1 and 0.2/CY in Study 2; only 5% of episodes were categorized as severe or very severe in both studies. While no individual factors predicted a statistically significant difference in diarrhea or pneumonia episodes, the combined effect of water, toilet and house construction was associated with a significant decrease in diarrhea; higher household income was the most protective factor for pneumonia in Study 1.
We report a 4-fold decrease in overall childhood mortality, and a 2-fold decrease in childhood morbidity from diarrhea and pneumonia in a remote rural village in Pakistan between 1989-2014. We conclude that significant, sustainable improvements in child health may be achieved through improved socioeconomic status and promoting interactions between locally engaged health workers and the community, but that continued efforts are needed to improve health worker training, supervision, and the rational use of medications.
Diverse biological processes coordinate the transcriptional response to nutritional changes in a Drosophila melanogaster multiparent population
Authors: Ng'oma Enoch , Williams-Simon Patricka A. , Rahman Aniqa , King Elizabeth G.
Published: November 2019

Background: Environmental variation in the amount of resources available to populations challenge individuals to optimize the allocation of those resources to key fitness functions. This coordination of resource allocation relative to resource availability is commonly attributed to key nutrient sensing gene pathways in laboratory model organisms, chiefly the insulin/TOR signaling pathway. However, the genetic basis of diet-induced variation in gene expression is less clear. Results: To describe the natural genetic variation underlying nutrient-dependent differences, we used an outbred panel derived from a multiparental population, the Drosophila Synthetic Population Resource. We analyzed RNA sequence data from multiple female tissue samples dissected from flies reared in three nutritional conditions: high sugar (HS), dietary restriction (DR), and control (C) diets. A large proportion of genes in the experiment (19.6% or 2,471 genes) were significantly differentially expressed for the effect of diet, 7.8% (978 genes) for the effect of the interaction between diet and tissue type (LRT, Padj. < 0.05). Interestingly, we observed similar patterns of gene expression relative to the C diet, in the DR and HS treated flies, a response likely reflecting diet component ratios. Hierarchical clustering identified 21 robust gene modules showing intra-modularly similar patterns of expression across diets, all of which were highly significant for diet or diet-tissue interaction effects (false discovery rate, FDR Padj. < 0.05). Gene set enrichment analysis for different diet-tissue combinations revealed a diverse set of pathways and gene ontology (GO) terms (two-sample t-test, FDR < 0.05). GO analysis on individual co-expressed modules likewise showed a large number of terms encompassing a large number of cellular and nuclear processes (Fisher exact test, Padj. < 0.01). Although a handful of genes in the IIS/TOR pathway including Ilp5, Rheb, and Sirt2 showed significant elevation in expression, known key genes such as InR, chico, insulin peptide genes, and the nutrient-sensing pathways were not observed. Conclusions: Our results suggest that a more diverse network of pathways and gene networks mediate the diet response in our population. These results have important implications for future studies focusing on diet responses in natural populations.
Neonatal Near-Misses in Ghana: A Prospective, Observational, Multi-Center Study
Authors: Bakari Ashura , Bell April J. , Oppong Samuel A. , Bockarie Yemah , Wobil Priscilla , Plange-Rhule Gyikua , Goka Bamenla Q. , Engmann Cyril M , Adanu Richard M , Moyer Cheryl A
Published: November 2019

For every newborn who dies within the first month, as many as eight more suffer life-threatening complications but survive (termed ‘neonatal near-misses’ (NNM)). However, there is no universally agreed-upon definition or assessment tool for NNM. This study sought to describe the development of the Neonatal Near-Miss Assessment Tool (NNMAT) for low-resource settings, as well as findings when implemented in Ghana. Methods: This prospective, observational study was conducted at two tertiary care hospitals in southern Ghana from April – July 2015. Newborns with evidence of complications and those admitted to NICUs were screened for inclusion using the NNMAT. Incidence of suspected NNM at enrollment and confirmed near-miss (surviving to 28 days) was determined and compared against institutional neonatal mortality rates. Suspected NNM cases were compared with newborns not classified as a suspected near-miss, and all were followed to 28 days to determine odds of survival. Confirmed near-misses were those identified as suspected near-misses at enrollment who survived to 28 days. The main outcome measures were incidence of NNM, NNM:mortality ratio, and factors associated with NNM classification. Results: Out of 394 newborns with complications, 341 (86.5%) were initially classified as suspected near-misses at enrollment using the NNMAT, with 53 (13.4%) being classified as a non-near-miss. At 28-day follow-up, 68 (17%) had died, 52 (13%) were classified as a non-near-miss, and 274 were considered confirmed near-misses. Those newborns with complications who were classified as suspected near-misses using the NNMAT at enrollment had 12 times the odds of dying before 28 days than those classified as non-near-misses. While most confirmed near-misses qualified as NNM via intervention-based criteria, nearly two-thirds qualified based on two or more of the four NNMAT categories. When disaggregated, the most predictive elements of the NNMAT were gestational age < 33 weeks, neurologic dysfunction, respiratory dysfunction, and hemoglobin < 10 gd/dl. The ratio of near-misses to deaths was 0.55 : 1, yet this varied across the study sites. Conclusions: This research suggests that the NNMAT is an effective tool for assessing neonatal near-misses in low-resource settings. We believe this approach has significant systems-level, continuous quality improvement, clinical and policy-level implications.
Sickness absence and disability pension among women with breast cancer: a population-based cohort study with a predictive model
Authors: Kvillemo Pia , Chen Lingjing , Bottai Matteo , Frumento Paolo , Mittendorfer-Rutz Ellenor , Friberg Emilie , Alexanderson Kristina
Published: November 2019

Women’s return to work after diagnosis of breast cancer (BC) are becoming more prevalent. However, register-based national investigation on sickness absence (SA) and disability pension (DP) in BC women is lacking. The aim of the study was to explore SA and DP before and after a first BC diagnosis and the possibility to predict new cancer-related SA by using disease-related and sociodemographic factors. Methods: A longitudinal register study of the 3536 women in Sweden aged 19-64 with a first BC diagnosis in 2010 was conducted by linkage of multiple national registers. Particularly, information on SA and DP was obtained from the National Social Insurance Agency’s database. Descriptive statistics on SA and DP two years before and three years after the BC diagnosis were performed. The risk of having a new SA spell due to BC or BC-related diagnoses was modeled using logistic regression. Results: The proportion of women with SA increased during the year following the BC diagnosis date and declined over the next two years to proportions before diagnosis. At the time of BC diagnosis, half of the women began a new SA spell >14 days with cancer, cancer-related, or mental diagnosis. Disease-related and sociodemographic factors including occupational sector, living area, age, cancer stage, educational level, and number of previous SA days showed statistical significance (p<0.05) in predicting a new SA around BC diagnosis. By using these factors, it was possible to correctly predict 67% of the new SA spell. Conclusions: SA among women with BC was elevated mainly in the first year after diagnosis. New SA following BC diagnosis can accurately be predicted.
Diagnostic Value of Pituitary Volume in Girls with Precocious Puberty
Authors: Wu Su , Yang Yan , Wang Yujiao , Liu Qianqi , Zhu Zi-yang , Gu Wei
Published: November 2019

To date, the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test is still the pivotal guarantee of precocious puberty (PP) diagnosis. However, it has many disadvantages, including low sensitivity, high cost, and invasive operation. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived variables on the diagnosis of PP in girls, providing a non-invasive diagnostic method for PP. Methods: A total of 288 young female patients who presented to the Clinic of Pediatric Endocrinology for evaluation of PP from January 2015 to December 2017 were enrolled. The sample included 90 girls diagnosed with premature thelarche (PT), 133 girls determined as idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP), 35 early pubertal girls, and 30 normal girls. All patients received pituitary MRI. Results: The largest pituitary volume (PV) and pituitary height were shown in the ICPP and pubertal groups, followed by the PT group. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that PV might be a predictive marker for ICPP, with a sensitivity of 54.10% and a specificity of 72.20% at the cutoff value of 196.01 mm3. By univariate analysis, PV was significantly and positively associated with peak luteinizing hormone (LH), LH/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), age, bone age, and Body Mass Index (BMI) (all P < 0.05). However, bone age and peak LH were the only significant predictors of PV by the stepwise multivariate regression analysis (Model: PV = 9.431 * bone age + 1.230 * peak LH + 92.625 [P = 0.000, R2 = 0.159)). Conclusions: The PV in the ICPP group was significantly higher than that in the PT and control groups, but there was no reliable cutoff value to distinguish ICPP from PT. Pituitary MRI should be combined with clinical and laboratory tests to maximize the diagnostic value of PV for PP.
Major obstetric haemorrhage in Metro East, Cape Town, South Africa: a population-based cohort study using the Maternal Near Miss approach
Authors: heitkamp anke , Aronson Simcha Lot , Akker Thomas van den , Vollmer Linda , Gebhardt Stefan , Roosmalen Jos van , de Vries Johanna I , Theron Gerhard
Published: November 2019

Background: Major obstetric haemorrhage is a leading cause of maternal mortality and accounts for one-third of maternal deaths in of Africa. This study aimed to assess the population-based incidence, causes, management and outcomes of major obstetric haemorrhage and risk factors associated with poor maternal outcome. Methods: Women with major obstetric haemorrhage who met the WHO Maternal Near-Miss criteria or died in the Metro East region, Cape Town, South Africa, were evaluated from November 2014-November 2015. Major obstetric haemorrhage was defined as haemorrhage in pregnancies of at least 20 weeks’ gestation or occurring up to 42 days after birth, and leading to hysterectomy, hypovolaemic shock or blood transfusion of ≥5 units of Packed Red Blood Cells. A logistic regression model was used to analyse associations with poor outcome, defined as major obstetric haemorrhage leading to massive transfusion of ≥8 units of packed red blood cells, hysterectomy or death. Results: The incidence of major obstetric haemorrhage was 3/1000 births, and the incidence of massive transfusion was 4/10.000 births in the Metro East region (32.862 births occurred during the studied time period). Leading causes of haemorrhage were placental abruption 45/119 (37.8%), complications of caesarean section 29/119 (24.4%) and uterine atony 13/119 (10.9%). Therapeutic oxytocin was administered in 98/119 (82.4%) women and hysterectomy performed in 33/119 (27.7%). The median numbers of packed red blood cells and units of Fresh Frozen Plasma transfused were 6 (interquartile range 4-7) and 3 (interquartile range 2-4), ratio 1.7:1. Caesarean section was independently associated with poor maternal outcome: adjusted OR 4.01 [95% CI 1.58, 10.14] Conclusions: Assessment of major obstetric haemorrhage using the Maternal Near Miss approach revealed that placental abruption and complications of caesarean section were the major causes of major obstetric haemorrhage. Caesarean section was associated with poor outcome. Keywords: maternal near-miss, major obstetric haemorrhage, placental abruption, caesarean section,
Clinical relevance of pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial isolates in three reference centres in Belgium: a multicentre retrospective analysis.
Authors: Weygaerde Yannick Vande , Cardinaels Nina , Bomans Peter , Chin Taeyang , Boelens Jerina , André Emmanuel , Braeckel Eva Van , Lorent Natalie
Published: November 2019

Background/objectives: Assessing the clinical relevance of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolated from respiratory samples can be challenging. The epidemiology and pathogenicity of NTM species vary geographically. We aimed to outline the clinical relevance and associated radiological patterns of NTM species isolated in Belgium.
Methods: We performed a retrospective multicentre analysis of all patients identified from the laboratory database with >1 respiratory sample growing NTM from January 2010 through December 2017. We collected clinical, radiological and microbiological data through medical record review and assessed clinical relevance according to ATS/IDSA criteria for NTM pulmonary disease (NTM-PD).
Results: Of the 384 unique patients, 60% were male, 56% had a smoking history and 61% had pre-existing lung disease. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), M. gordonae and M. xenopi were the most frequently isolated species: 53%, 15% and 8% respectively. 43% of patients met ATS/IDSA criteria, of whom 28% presented with fibrocavitary disease. Weight loss, fever, nodular bronchiectatic and fibrocavitary lesions on chest CT, and a positive acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stain were significantly associated with NTM-PD. The species with the highest pathogenic potential were M. abscessus (11/12), M. malmoense (6/7) and M. intracellulare (41/64).
Conclusion: In our study, MAC was the most commonly isolated NTM species, but M. abscessus and M. malmoense showed the highest probability of being clinically relevant. Clinical relevance varied not only by species but also by radiological findings on chest CT and AFB staining. Clinicians should consider these elements in their treatment decision making. Prospective data including clinical outcome are needed to provide more robust evidence.
Seasonal variations in the occurrence of acute appendicitis and their relationship with the presence of fecaliths in children
Authors: Hsu Yao-Jen , Fu Yu-Wei , Chin Taiwai
Published: November 2019

Background Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common surgical condition in children. Although a higher incidence of AA in summer has been reported, the reason for this observation remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical findings of AA patients who underwent appendectomies during the summer months with those who underwent the procedure during the non-summer months. Methods The clinical data of 171 patients who underwent appendectomy from January 2013 to December 2016 were reviewed. The patients were divided into a summer group (from May to October) and a non-summer group (from November to April) based on the month when appendectomy was performed. All patients were under 18 years of age at the time of surgery. The medical records including laboratory data, computed tomography scans, pathology reports and operative notes were reviewed. Results The number of patients with AA was higher in the summer group than in the non-summer group (101 vs. 70 patients). No significant differences in the laboratory results between the two groups of patients were observed. The percentage of AA patients who presented with a fecalith was significantly lower in the summer group (33.6%) than in the non-summer group (55.7%). No significant differences in the incidence of appendiceal perforations and abscesses, as well as postoperative complications were observed between the two groups. Conclusions The percentage of AA patients with fecaliths in summer was lower than that in the non-summer months. The increase in the number of AA patients in summer may be due to the increased occurrence of lymphoid hyperplasia, which may be correlated with the yearly outbreak of enterovirus infection during this period.
Efficacy and safety of calcitonin-gene-related peptide binding monoclonal antibodies for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine – An updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Deng Hong , Li Gai-gai , Nie Hao , Feng Yang-yang , Guo Guang-yu , Guo Wen-liang , tang zhouping
Published: November 2019

Background: Migraine is one of the most common neurological disorders that leads to disabilities. However, the conventional drug therapy for migraine is unsatisfactory. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of calcitonin-gene-related peptide binding monoclonal antibody (CGRP mAb) for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine, and provide high-quality clinical evidence for migraine therapy.
Methods: A systematic electronic database search was conducted to identify the potentially relevant studies. Two independent authors performed data extraction and quality appraisal. Mean difference (MD) and risk ratio (RR) were pooled for continuous and dichotomous data, respectively. The significance levels, weighted effect sizes and homogeneity of variance were calculated.
Results: Eleven high-quality randomized control trials that collectively included 4402 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Compared to placebo group, CGRP mAb therapy resulted in a reduction of monthly migraine days [weighted mean difference (WMD) = −1.44, 95% CI = (−1.68,−1.19)] and acute migraine-specific medication days [WMD = −1.28, 95% CI = (−1.66,−0.90)], with an improvement in 50% responder rate [RR = 1.51, 95% CI =(1.37,1.66)]. In addition, the adverse events (AEs) and treatment withdrawal rates due to AEs were not significantly different between CGRP mAb and placebo groups. Similar efficacy and safety results were obtained for erenumab, fremanezumab, and galcanezumab in subgroup analysis.
Conclusions: The current body of evidence reveals that CGRP mAb is an effective and safe preventive treatment for episodic migraine.
Keywords: calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibody, episodic migraine, efficacy, safety, meta-analysis
Genome-wide association reveals genetic variation of lint yield components under salty field conditions in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)
Authors: Zhu Guozhong , Gao Wenwei , Song Xiaohui , Sun Fenglei , Hou Sen , Liu Na , Huang Yajie , Zhang Dayong , Ni Zhiyong , Chen Quanjia , Guo Wangzhen
Published: November 2019

Background: Salinity is one of the most significant environmental factors limiting the productivity of cotton. However, the key genetic components responsible for the reduction in cotton yield in saline-alkali soils are still unclear.
Results: Here, we evaluated three main components of lint yield, single boll weight (SBW), lint percentage (LP) and boll number per plant (BNPP), across 316 G. hirsutum accessions under four salt conditions over two years. Phenotypic analysis indicated that LP was unchanged under different salt conditions, however BNPP decreased significantly and SBW increased slightly under high salt conditions. Based on 57,413 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis, a total of 42, 91 and 25 stable quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified for SBW, LP and BNPP, respectively. Phenotypic and QTL analysis suggested that there was little correlation among the three traits. For LP, 8 stable QTLs were detected simultaneously in four different salt conditions, while fewer repeated QTLs for SBW or BNPP were identified. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that their regulatory mechanisms were also quite different. Via transcriptome profile data, we detected that 10 genes from the 8 stable LP QTLs were predominantly expressed during fiber development. Further, haplotype analyses found that a MYB gene (GhMYB103), with the two SNP variations in cis-regulatory and coding regions, was significantly correlated with lint percentage, implying a crucial role in lint yield. We also identified that 40 candidate genes from BNPP QTLs were salt-inducible. Genes related to carbohydrate metabolism and cell structure maintenance were rich in plants grown in high salt conditions, while genes related to ion transport were active in plants grown in low salt conditions, implying different regulatory mechanisms for BNPP at high and low salt conditions.
Conclusions: This study provides a foundation for elucidating cotton salt tolerance mechanisms and contributes gene resources for developing Upland cotton varieties with high yields and salt stress tolerance.
Assessing the risk of early unplanned rehospitalisation in preterm babies: EPIPAGE 2 study
Authors: Reed Robert A. , Morgan Andrei S. , Zeitlin Jennifer , Jarreau Pierre-Henri , Torchin Héloïse , Pierrat Véronique , Ancel Pierre-Yves , Khoshnood Babak
Published: November 2019

Gaining a better understanding of the probability, timing and prediction of rehospitalisation amongst preterm babies could help improve outcomes. There is limited research addressing these topics amongst extremely and very preterm babies. In this context, unplanned rehospitalisations constitute an important, potentially modifiable adverse event. We aimed to establish the probability, time-distribution and predictability of unplanned rehospitalisation within 30 days of discharge in a population of French preterm babies. Methods This study used data from EPIPAGE 2, a population-based prospective study of French preterm babies. Only those babies discharged home alive and whose parents responded to the one-year survey were eligible for inclusion in our study. For Kaplan-Meier analysis, the outcome was unplanned rehospitalisation censored at 30 days. For predictive modelling, the outcome was binary, recording unplanned rehospitalisation within 30 days of discharge. Predictors included routine clinical variables selected based on expert opinion. Results Of 3,841 eligible babies, 350 (9.1%, 95% CI 8.2-10.1) experienced an unplanned rehospitalisation within 30 days. The probability of rehospitalisation progressed at a consistent rate over the 30 days. There were significant differences in rehospitalisation probability by gestational age. The cross-validated performance of a ten predictor model demonstrated low discrimination and calibration. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.62 (95% CI 0.59-0.65). Conclusions Unplanned rehospitalisation within 30 days of discharge was infrequent and the probability of rehospitalisation progressed at a consistent rate. Lower gestational age increased the probability of rehospitalisation. Predictive models comprised of clinically important variables had limited predictive ability.
A novel individualized strategy for cryoballoon catheter ablation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
Authors: Ding Jun , Xu Jing , Ma Wei , Chen Bingwei , Yang Peigen , Qi Yu , Sun Shan , Cheng Aijuan
Published: November 2019

Background : The optimal dosage for cryoablation of atrial fibrillation (Cryo-AF) is still unknown. To evaluate the efficacy of an individualized freeze duration, we compared the clinical outcome of patients treated with a time-to-pulmonary vein isolation (TT-PVI) or temperature-guided ablation protocol to the outcome of patients treated with a conventional ablation protocol.
Methods: A total of 164 consecutive patients were included in the study. One method employed was a conventional dosing protocol (at least 2 applications of 180 seconds each)(the Cryo-AF Conventional group n=84), and the second method had a shorter protocol that was based on the TT-PVI or achievement of -40°C within 60 seconds (the Cryo-AF Dosing group n=80).
Results: We treated 656 pulmonary veins (PVs) with 1420 cryotherapy applications. The mean number of applications per patient was 8.7±0.8, with no difference between groups (Cryo-AF Conventional , 8.7±0.8 versus Cryo-AF Dosing ,8.6±0.8; P =0.359). The Cryo-AF Dosing group required significantly less total cryotherapy application time (990.60±137.77versus 1501.58±89.60 seconds; P <0.001) and left atrial dwell time (69.91±6.91 versus 86.48±7.03 minutes; P <0.001) than the Cryo-AF Conventional group. Additionally, the Cryo-AF Dosing group required significantly less total procedure time (95.03±6.50 versus 112.43±7.11 minutes; P <0.001). We observed acute ATP-induced or spontaneous vein electric reconnections in 13 veins (1.98%) after 20 minutes. The reconnection rates between the Cryo-AF Conventional and Cryo-AF Dosing groups were similar in that 2.98% and 0.94% of the initially isolated veins were reconnected, respectively, ( P =0.061). There was no difference in the recurrence rate of free atrial arrhythmia after a 1-year follow-up, which were 78.75% in the Cryo-AF Dosing group versus 78.57% in the Cryo-AF Conventional group ( P =0.978).
Conclusion: A novel Cryo-AF dosing protocol guided by temperature or the TT-PVI can be used to individualize an ablation strategy. This new protocol can lead to a significant reduction in duration of the procedure, the cryoenergy dosage and the left atrial dwell time. The procedure had equal safety and similar acute and 1-year follow-up outcomes compared to the conventional approach.
Behavior Management Techniques Adopted by Pediatric Dentists in Egypt
Authors: Kanzel Samah , Abdelgawad Fatma , Motayam Kamal El
Published: November 2019

Background: Dental treatment exposes the patients to an environment that may trigger natural response of fear, leading to difficulties in accepting treatment or even dental avoidance. The study aimed to identify the most common behavior management techniques (BMT) adopted by pediatric dentist in Egypt for managing uncooperative children. Methods: Questionnaires were hand delivered to pediatric dentists, which designed to record participants demographic and practice information, their current use of BMT, to determine the most common behavior management techniques used for each patient age; and their relationship to practitioner gender, total year in practice and position in the faculty. Results: Surveys were returned by 72 pediatric dentists (27.8% were males and 72.2% were females). Parental presence was practiced by all participants mainly for patients less than 2 years (93.1%). Tell-show-do was considered the most used technique (95.8%) for patients 3-5 years. Their employment of advanced techniques by respondents was less than basic techniques, being least for sedation and highest for general anesthesia mainly for the very young patients (73.2%). Conclusions: Presence of parents at the operatory became imperative for patients less than two years to gain their cooperation, unless general anesthesia will be used for them.
Immunogold labeling of synaptic vesicle proteins in developing hippocampal neurons
Authors: Tao-Cheng Jung-Hwa
Published: November 2019

Synaptic vesicles (SV) contain high concentrations of specific proteins. How these proteins are transported from soma to synapses, and how they become concentrated at SV clusters at presynaptic terminals were examined by immunogold electron microscopy in dissociated rat hippocampal neurons at 3-6 days in culture, a developmental stage when axonal transport of SV proteins is robust. In neuronal somas, labels for the SV integral membrane proteins (synaptophysin, SV2, VAMP/synaptobrevin, and synaptotagmin) were localized at Golgi complexes and other membranous structures that were dispersed in the cytoplasm as individual vesicle/vacuoles. These vesicles/vacuoles became aggregated in axons, with the size of aggregates ranging from 0.2 to 2 µm in length. Pleomorphic vesicle/vacuoles within the aggregate were typically larger (50-300 nm) than SVs, which were uniform in size at ~40 nm. These pleomorphic vesicles/vacuoles are likely transport cargos carrying SV integral membrane proteins from the soma, and sorted into axons at early developmental stages. Serial thin sections of young axons indicated that many labeled aggregates were not synaptic, and in fact, some of these axons were without dendritic contacts. In contrast, labels for two SV associated proteins, synapsin I and a-synuclein, were not localized at the Golgi complexes or associated with membranous structures in the soma, but were dispersed in the cytoplasm. However, these SV-associated proteins became highly concentrated on clusters of SV-like vesicles in axons, and such clusters were already distinctive in axons as early as 3 days in culture. These clusters consisted of ~4 - 30 vesicles in single thin sections, and the vesicles were of a uniform size (~40 nm). By serial sectioning analysis, these clusters could be part of nascent synapses or exist in axons without any dendritic contact. Importantly, the vesicles were intensely labeled for SV integral membrane proteins as well as SV associated proteins. Thus, these EM observations illustrate that the two groups of proteins, SV integral membrane and SV-associated, proceed through different routes of biosynthesis and axon transport, and are only sorted into the same final compartment, SV clusters, when they are in the axons.
Arabidopsis adaptor protein 1G2 is required for female and male gametogenesis
Authors: Zhou Yongmei , Fang Wenqin , Chen Li-Yu , Pandey Neha , Muhammad Azam Syed , Ming Ray
Published: November 2019

Background: The gametophyte s are essential for the productive process in angiosperms. During sexual reproduction in flowering plants, haploid spores are formed from meioses of spore mother cells. The spores then undergo mitosis and develop into female and male gametes and give rise to seeds after fertilization. Results: We identified a female sterile mutant from EMS mutagenesis, and a BC1F2 population was generated for map based cloning of the causal gene. Genome re-sequencing of mutant and non-mutant pools revealed a candidate gene, AP1G2 . Analyses of two insertions mutants, ap1g2-1 +/- in exon 7 and ap1g2-3 -/- in 3’ UTR, revealed partial female sterility. Complementation test using native promoter of AP1G2 restored the function in ap1g2-1 +/- and ap1g2-3 -/- . AP1G2 is a paralog of AP1G1 , encoding the large subunit (γ) of adaptor protein-1 (AP-1). ap1g2 mutation led to defective female and male gametophyte development was determined. In the ap1g2 mutants, the mitotic cycles and synchronic development of female gametophytes were impaired, which led to the arrest of female gametophytes at one nucleus stage FG1. Pollen development in ap1g2 was also arrested at one nucleus stage before PMI (pollen mitosis I). AP1G2 was expressed at high levels in different stages of ovule and pollens and actively dividing tissues, including shoot apical meristems, leaf primordial and root tips. Conclusions: AP1G2 was identified to have a role in the processes of female and male gametogenesis by regulating the first mitosis at one nucleus stage, and the expression pattern suggested AP1G2 is crucial for plant growth and development. Keywords: Arabidopsis, AP1G2 , megagametogenesis, microgametogenesis, development.
Different Doses of Allergen Exposure on Dendritic Cells Determine Their Genetic/Epigenetic Regulation and T Cell Differentiation
Authors: Chen Jianjun , Wang Ying , Yu Zizhong , Zhou Yue , Zhu Yun , Wang Jinhui , Fu Junmei , Yuan Yang , Chen Shan , Wang Yanjun , Cho Seong H , Yu Wenting , Gao Pei , Zhu Wanting , Kong Weijia
Published: November 2019

Background: It has been reported that when DCs are exposed to high-dose antigens, they can induce Th0 cells into regulatory cells (Treg) and Th1 cells. When DCs are subjected to low-dose allergen, they can drive to Th2 cells. However, the mechanisms of such dose-effect relationship are poorly understood so far. Methods: Bone marrow immature DCs (imDCs) were generated from mice and stimulated with OVA of different concentrations (0, 10, 100, 1000, 10000 μg/ml, respectively). The mDCs were then seeded and cocultured with naïve T cells for 3 days, and then the markers of different T cell subgroups were flow cytometrically tested. RNA-seq detection and DNA methylation of DCs were performed. Results: When DCs were stimulated with low-dose (10ug/ml), 77 genes were up-regulated and 87 genes down-regulated. Most activated genes were related to ribosome synthesis and ion channel inhibition but not to the immune responses and Th2 activation. At the medium-dose (100μg/ml), 339 genes were up-regulated and 168 genes down-regulated. Most activated genes involved cytokine synthesis and regulation of immune responses. At high-dose (10000μg/ml), 2794 genes were up-regulated and 1156 genes down-regulated. Tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, antigen processing and presentation signaling pathway were mostly up-regulated. The related co-stimulators, co-inhibitory molecules, inhibitory cytokines, negative regulating enzymes were highly expressed. The monocarbate, coenzyme, fatty acid, glucolipid, starch, sucrose and other metabolism-related signaling pathways were down-regulated. Conclusion: The profiles of DNA methylation and RNA synthesis of DCs varied with different doses of OVA, which serves to induce T cells to differentiate in various directions.
Genomic Variation between PRSV Resistant Transgenic SunUp and Its Progenitor Cultivar Sunset Induced by Particle Bombardment Transformation
Authors: Fang Jingping , Wood Andrew , Chen Youqiang , Yue Jingjing , Ming Ray
Published: November 2019

The safety of genetically transformed plants remains a subject of scrutiny. Genomic variants in PRSV resistant transgenic papaya will provide evidence to rationally address such concerns. In this study, a total of more than 74 million Illumina reads for progenitor ‘Sunset’ were mapped onto transgenic papaya ‘SunUp’ reference genome. 310,364 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 34,071 Small Inserts/deletions (InDels) and 1,200 large structural variations (SVs) were detected between ‘Sunset’ and ‘SunUp’. Those variations have an uneven distribution across nine chromosomes in papaya. Only 0.27% of mutations were predicted to be high-impact mutations. ATP-related categories were highly enriched among these high-impact genes. The SNP mutation rate was about 8.4×10 -4 per site, comparable with the rate induced by spontaneous mutation over numerous generations. The transition-to-transversion ratio was 1.439 and the predominant mutations were C/G to T/A transitions. Spontaneous mutations were the leading cause of SNPs in transgenic papaya ‘SunUp’. A total of 3,430 nuclear plastid DNA (NUPT) and 2,764 nuclear mitochondrial DNA (NUMT) junction sites have been found in ‘SunUp’, which is proportionally higher than the predicted total NUPT and NUMT junction sites in ‘Sunset’ (3,346 and 2,745, respectively). Among all nuclear organelle DNA (norgDNA) junction sites, 96% of junction sites were shared by ‘SunUp’ and ‘Sunset’. The average identity between ‘SunUp’ specific norgDNA and corresponding organelle genomes was higher than that of norgDNA shared by ‘SunUp’ and ‘Sunset’. Six ‘SunUp’ organelle-like borders of transgenic insertions were nearly identical to corresponding sequences in organelle genomes (98.18~100%). None of the paired-end spans of mapped ‘Sunset’ reads were elongated by any ‘SunUp’ transformation plasmid derived inserts. Significant amounts of DNA were transferred from organelles to the nuclear genome during bombardment, including the six flanking sequences of the three transgenic insertions. Comparative whole-genome analyses between ‘SunUp’ and ‘Sunset’ provide a reliable estimate of genome-wide variations and evidence of organelle-to-nucleus transfer of DNA associated with biolistic transformation.
Neuropathological changes in dorsal root ganglia induced by pyridoxine in dogs
Authors: Yun Sumin , Kim Woosuk , Kang Min Soo , Kim Tae Hyeong , Kim Yoonhwan , Ahn Jin-Ok , Choi Jung Hoon , Hwang In Koo , Chung Jinyoung
Published: November 2019

Background: Pyridoxine (PDX), vitamin B 6 , is an essential vitamin. PDX deficiency induces various symptoms and abuse of PDX supplement also acts as a neurotoxicant that induces severe sensory neuropathy. Results: To construct a sensory neuropathy model in dogs, excess pyridoxine (PDX) was injected subcutaneously into dogs for seven days and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were observed at 0, 1 and 4 weeks after the last PDX treatment. During the administration period, body weight loss and proprioceptive loss occurred. After the treatments were completed, electrophysiological recordings showed that the H-reflex of the treated dogs had disappeared at week 0. These phenomena persisted for four weeks exceptional body weight. CV and HE staining revealed that neurons in DRG had significant loss of large-sized neurons 0 weeks, but these neurons were recovered 4 weeks. Iba-1 and GFAP immunohistochemistry showed that reactive microgliosis and satellite glial cells were pronounced at 1 week. Conclusions: This result suggests that PDX-induced neuropathy model is reversible and can be a good experimental model for research on neuropathy in dogs.
Clinical efficacy analysis of different therapeutic methods in patients with cesarean scar pregnancy
Authors: Wu Yan , Sun Leifang , Si Yanan , Luan Xiaoli , Gao Yongmei
Published: November 2019

Background Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy with a serious life-threatening situation. The purpose of this study is to analyze the clinical efficacy of five therapeutic strategies in patients with CSP. Methods A total of 135 CSP patients were included in our research and divided into five groups based on the treatment they received, including transvaginal resection (Group A), laparoscopic resection (Group B), uterine arterial embolization (UAE) combined with hysteroscopic curettage (Group C), UAE combined with uterine curettage (Group D), and hysteroscopic curettage (Group E). To investigate the clinical efficacy of these strategies, intraoperative bleeding, serum β-hCG levels and recovery time, menstruation recovery time, hormone levels at 1 month after treatment, hospital stays and costs were analyzed. Results The lowest postoperative serum β-hCG levels and the shortest serum β-hCG and menstruation recovery times were observed in group A, the next were in group B. Group C and D had small amount of blood loss. The hospital stays and costs were low in group E. In addition, no significant difference was performed at the sex hormone levels between the five groups. Conclusions Our results indicated that resection surgery and UAE have good curative effects, but high hospital costs in CSP treatment. The selection of an optimal treatment regimen for CSP should be carried out based on specific conditions of the patients.