bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fluorescent detection of PARP activity in unfixed tissue
Authors: Belhadj Soumaya , Rentsch Andreas , Schwede Frank , Paquet-Durand François
Published: January 2021

Poly-ADP-ribose-polymerase (PARP) relates to a family of enzymes that can detect DNA breaks and initiate DNA repair. While this activity is generally seen as promoting cell survival, PARP enzymes are also known to be involved in cell death in numerous pathologies, including in inherited retinal degeneration. This ambiguous role of PARP makes it attractive to have a simple and fast enzyme activity assay, that allows resolving its enzymatic activity in situ, in individual cells, within complex tissues. A previously published two-step PARP activity assay uses biotinylated NAD+ and streptavidin labelling for this purpose. Here, we used the fluorescent NAD+ analogues ε-NAD+ and 6-Fluo-10-NAD+ to assess PARP activity directly on unfixed tissue sections obtained from wild-type and retinal degeneration-1 (rd1) mutant retina. In standard UV microscopy ε-NAD+ incubation did not reveal PARP specific signal. In contrast, 6-Fluo-10-NAD+ resulted in reliable detection of in situ PARP activity in rd1 retina, especially in the degenerating photoreceptor cells. When the 6-Fluo-10-NAD+ based PARP activity assay was performed in the presence of the PARP specific inhibitor olaparib, the activity signal was completely abolished, attesting to the specificity of the assay. The incubation of live organotypic retinal explant cultures with 6-Fluo-10-NAD+, did not produce PARP specific signal, indicating that the fluorescent marker may not be sufficiently membrane-permeable to label living cells. In summary, we present a new, rapid, and simple to use fluorescence assay for the cellular resolution of PARP activity on unfixed tissue, for instance in complex neuronal tissues such as the retina.
Management of acute COPD exacerbations in France: A qualitative survey in a private practice setting
Authors: Compagnon Anne , Nguyen Laurent , Antoun Zeina , Stach Bruno , Zanetti Christophe , Le Guillou Frédéric
Published: January 2021

Background

The current prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in France is estimated to be 2.6 million and is predicted to increase to 2.8 million by 2025. Presently, there is a lack of data on COPD management within the private healthcare setting. The aim of this study was to investigate the management of COPD exacerbations by pulmonologists within private practices in France.

Methods

A prospective, online, qualitative survey was distributed to private practice pulmonologists in France. The survey covered all aspects of COPD management from diagnosis and therapeutic management, to secondary prevention and organization of care. Survey responses were collected between 27 January 2018 and 18 June 2018 and all data were summarized descriptively.

Results

The survey had a response rate of 20.6%, with 116 out of 563 pulmonologists providing responses. Overall, 87.4% of respondents stated that the management of COPD represented over 15% of their total clinical activity. Most respondents indicated that they work closely with general practitioners and a large multidisciplinary team to manage patients with numerous comorbidities. Following a COPD exacerbation, the majority of respondents (78.4%) were in favor of using respiratory-connected devices (class 2a-connected medical device according to the French HAS classification and available on medical prescription) to assist with patient follow-up at home.

Conclusions

COPD management forms part of the core clinical activity for pulmonologists within the private practice setting in France. Patients with COPD generally have multiple comorbidities and are managed by a multidisciplinary team in line with French guidelines. The use of respiratory-connected devices was highlighted as an important new strategy for improving patient care following a COPD exacerbation.
A streamlined model for use in clinical breast cancer risk assessment maintains predictive power and is further improved with inclusion of a polygenic risk score
Authors: Allman Richard , Spaeth Erika , Lai John , Gross Susan J. , Hopper John L.
Published: January 2021

Five-year absolute breast cancer risk prediction models are required to comply with national guidelines regarding risk reduction regimens. Models including the Gail model are under-utilized in the general population for various reasons, including difficulty in accurately completing some clinical fields. The purpose of this study was to determine if a streamlined risk model could be designed without substantial loss in performance. Only the clinical risk factors that were easily answered by women will be retained and combined with an objective validated polygenic risk score (PRS) to ultimately improve overall compliance with professional recommendations. We first undertook a review of a series of 2,339 Caucasian, African American and Hispanic women from the USA who underwent clinical testing. We first used deidentified test request forms to identify the clinical risk factors that were best answered by women in a clinical setting and then compared the 5-year risks for the full model and the streamlined model in this clinical series. We used OPERA analysis on previously published case-control data from 11,924 Gail model samples to determine clinical risk factors to include in a streamlined model: first degree family history and age that could then be combined with the PRS. Next, to ensure that the addition of PRS to the streamlined model was indeed beneficial, we compared risk stratification using the Streamlined model with and without PRS for the existing case-control datasets comprising 1,313 cases and 10,611 controls of African-American (n = 7421), Caucasian (n = 1155) and Hispanic (n = 3348) women, using the area under the curve to determine model performance. The improvement in risk discrimination from adding the PRS risk score to the Streamlined model was 52%, 46% and 62% for African-American, Caucasian and Hispanic women, respectively, based on changes in log OPERA. There was no statistically significant difference in mean risk scores between the Gail model plus risk PRS compared to the Streamlined model plus PRS. This study demonstrates that validated PRS can be used to streamline a clinical test for primary care practice without diminishing test performance. Importantly, by eliminating risk factors that women find hard to recall or that require obtaining medical records, this model may facilitate increased clinical adoption of 5-year risk breast cancer risk prediction test in keeping with national standards and guidelines for breast cancer risk reduction.
Water quality assessment and source identification of the Shuangji River (China) using multivariate statistical methods
Authors: Liu Junzhao , Zhang Dong , Tang Qiuju , Xu Hongbin , Huang Shanheng , Shang Dan , Liu Ruxue
Published: January 2021

Multivariate statistical techniques, including cluster analysis (CA), discriminant analysis (DA), principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis (FA), were used to evaluate temporal and spatial variations in and to interpret large and complex water quality datasets collected from the Shuangji River Basin. The datasets, which contained 19 parameters, were generated during the 2 year (2018–2020) monitoring programme at 14 different sites (3192 observations) along the river. Hierarchical CA was used to divide the twelve months into three periods and the fourteen sampling sites into three groups. Discriminant analysis identified four parameters (CODMn, Cu, As, Se) loading more than 68% correct assignations in temporal analysis, while seven parameters (COD, TP, CODMn, F, LAS, Cu and Cd) to load 93% correct assignations in spatial analysis. The FA/PCA identified six factors that were responsible for explaining the data structure of 68% of the total variance of the dataset, allowing grouping of selected parameters based on common characteristics and assessing the incidence of overall change in each group. This study proposes the necessity and practicality of multivariate statistical techniques for evaluating and interpreting large and complex data sets, with a view to obtaining better information about water quality and the design of monitoring networks to effectively manage water resources.
Gut microbiome dysbiosis and correlation with blood biomarkers in active-tuberculosis in endemic setting
Authors: Khaliq Aasia , Ravindran Resmi , Afzal Samia , Jena Prasant Kumar , Akhtar Muhammad Waheed , Ambreen Atiqa , Wan Yu-Jui Yvonne , Malik Kauser Abdulla , Irfan Muhammad , Khan Imran H.
Published: January 2021

Tuberculosis (TB) is the largest infectious disease with 10 million new active-TB patients and1.7 million deaths per year. Active-TB is an inflammatory disease and is increasingly viewed as an imbalance of immune responses to M. tb. infection. The mechanisms of a switch from latent infection to active disease is not well worked out but a shift in the immune responses is thought to be responsible. Increasingly, the role of gut microbiota has been described as a major influencer of the immune system. And because the gut is the largest immune organ, we aimed to analyze the gut microbiome in active-TB patients in a TB-endemic country, Pakistan. The study revealed that Ruminococcacea, Enetrobactericeae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Bifidobacterium, etc. were the major genera associated with active-TB, also associated with chronic inflammatory disease. Plasma antibody profiles against several M. tb. antigens, as specific biomarkers for active-TB, correlated closely with the patient gut microbial profiles. Besides, bcoA gene copy number, indicative of the level of butyrate production by the gut microbiome was five-fold lower in TB patients compared to healthy individuals. These findings suggest that gut health in TB patients is compromised, with implications for disease morbidity (e.g., severe weight loss) as well as immune impairment.
Exploring perceptions of low risk behaviour and drivers to test for HIV among South African youth
Authors: Muravha Tshifhiwa , Hoffmann Christopher J. , Botha Claire , Maruma Wellington , Charalambous Salome , Chetty-Makkan Candice M.
Published: January 2021

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevalence among South African youth is high, yet HIV testing remains suboptimal. We explored how perceptions of HIV risk and behaviours informed decisions to test for HIV. This study was conducted from April 2018 to March 2019 in Ekurhuleni district, Gauteng Province with males and females aged between 15–24 years. Twenty-five youth with unknown HIV status participated in in-depth interviews (IDIs); while four focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with those that previously tested for HIV. Probes used in the guides included types of incentives that youth would value when testing for HIV or receiving treatment; barriers and motivators to HIV testing; enablers and challenges to using cellphone technology and preferences on type of social media that could be used to create awareness about HIV testing services. IDIs and FGDs were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated. QSR NVIVO 10 was used for the analysis. The majority of the youth perceived that their risk of HIV infection was low due to factors such as being young, lacking physical signs of HIV, being sexually inactive and parents not being HIV positive. However, youth identified high risk behaviours such as unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners, excessive drinking of alcohol, being victims of sexual abuse, road accidents and violent behaviour as increasing their vulnerability to HIV. Most youth highlighted cues to action that would motivate them to test for HIV such as support of parents, receiving incentives, improved confidentiality during HIV testing and receiving information about HIV via social media (Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp). Despite perceptions of low risk to HIV, youth remain vulnerable to HIV. Disseminating HIV information via digital platforms; giving youth options to choose between testing locations that they consider to be private; providing incentives and equipping parents/guardians to encourage youth to test could optimise HIV testing.
Domains of the autism phenotype, cognitive control, and rumination as transdiagnostic predictors of DSM-5 suicide risk
Authors: Hedley Darren , Uljarević Mirko , Cai Ru Ying , Bury Simon M. , Stokes Mark A. , Evans David W.
Published: January 2021

Suicide is a global health problem affecting both normative and clinical populations. Theoretical models that examine mechanisms underlying suicide risk across heterogeneous samples are needed. The present study explored core characteristics associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a sub-population at high risk of suicide, as well as two dimensional cognitive constructs, as potential transdiagnostic predictors of suicidal ideation in a clinically diverse sample. Participants (n = 1851, 62% female) aged 18 to 89 years completed online questionnaires assessing: social communication difficulties; insistence on sameness; cognitive control; and rumination. Forty-three percent of participants reported the presence of at least one neurodevelopmental or neuropsychiatric disorder. One third of the sample reported some suicidal ideation (SI), and 40 percent met the threshold for concern for depression. All hypothesized constructs were associated with SI and depression and, with the exception of rumination, contributed significantly to SI. Participants reporting SI returned significantly higher social communication difficulties and insistence on sameness, and lower levels of cognitive control than those reporting no-SI. The study was limited by the use of a cross-sectional sample assessed with self-report measures. All diagnoses were self-reported and the study was additionally limited by the use of a single item indicator of suicidal ideation. These findings support a role for constructs associated with the ASD phenotype and associated broad cognitive domains as potential risk factors underlying suicidal ideation in a large clinically diverse sample. Our findings suggest directions for future longitudinal research studies, along with specific targets for suicide prevention and clinical practice.
COVID-19 prevalence and predictors in United States adults during peak stay-at-home orders
Authors: Morlock Robert , Morlock Amy , Downen Martha , Shah Sonali N.
Published: January 2021

Background

Early recognition of COVID-19 cases is essential for effective public health measures aimed at isolation of individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS–COV-2). The objective of this study was to describe characteristics, self-reported symptoms, and predictors of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection in a community-based sample.

Methods and findings

This was a cross-sectional nationwide survey of adults in the US conducted between April 24 through May 13, 2020. The survey targeted a representative sample of approximately 5,000 respondents. The rate of COVID-19 cases and testing, most frequently reported symptoms, symptom severity, treatment received, impact of COVID-19 on mental and physical health, and factors predictive of testing positive were assessed. Most of the 5,203 participants (85.6%) reported no COVID-19-like symptoms. Of the 747 (14.5%) participants reporting COVID-19-like symptoms, 367 (49.1%) obtained a diagnostic test. Eighty-nine participants (24.3%) reported a positive COVID-19 test result, representing 1.7% of the total sample. For those testing positive, the most common symptoms were dry cough, fever, and shortness of breath/difficulty breathing. Those who tested positive were more likely to report greater symptom severity versus those who tested negative. Severe dry cough, new loss of taste or smell, trouble waking up, living with someone experiencing symptoms, recent international travel, respiratory issues, and reporting ethnicity of Black or African American were predictive of testing positive.

Conclusions

This study assessed the impact of COVID-19 using community-level self-reported data across the US during the peak of most stay at home’ orders. Self-reported symptoms and risk factors identified in this study are consistent with the clinical profile emerging for COVID-19. In the absence of widespread testing, this study demonstrates the utility of a representative US community-based sample to provide direct-reported symptoms and outcomes to quickly identify high-risk individuals who are likely to test positive and should consider taking greater precautions.
Genome-wide analysis of haloacid dehalogenase genes reveals their function in phosphate starvation responses in rice
Authors: Du Zezhen , Deng Suren , Wu Zixuan , Wang Chuang
Published: January 2021

The HAD superfamily is named after the halogenated acid dehalogenase found in bacteria, which hydrolyses a diverse range of organic phosphate substrates. Although certain studies have shown the involvement of HAD genes in Pi starvation responses, systematic classification and bioinformatics analysis of the HAD superfamily in plants is lacking. In this study, 41 and 40 HAD genes were identified by genomic searching in rice and Arabidopsis, respectively. According to sequence similarity, these proteins are divided into three major groups and seven subgroups. Conserved motif analysis indicates that the majority of the identified HAD proteins contain phosphatase domains. A further structural analysis showed that HAD proteins have four conserved motifs and specified cap domains. Fewer HAD genes show collinearity relationships in both rice and Arabidopsis, which is consistent with the large variations in the HAD genes. Among the 41 HAD genes of rice, the promoters of 28 genes contain Pi-responsive cis-elements. Mining of transcriptome data and qRT-PCR results showed that at least the expression of 17 HAD genes was induced by Pi starvation in shoots or roots. These HAD proteins are predicted to be involved in intracellular or extracellular Po recycling under Pi stress conditions in plants.
Effect of periodontal treatment on the glomerular filtration rate, reduction of inflammatory markers and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease: A systematic review
Authors: Delbove Théo , Gueyffier François , Juillard Laurent , Kalbacher Emilie , Maucort-Boulch Delphine , Nony Patrice , Grosgogeat Brigitte , Gritsch Kerstin
Published: January 2021

Aim

To assess the effect of periodontal treatment (PT) on glomerular filtration rate (GFR), systemic inflammation, or mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods

A literature search was performed on PubMed and Web of Science databases on articles published until December 2019. The PRISMA guidelines were used throughout the manuscript.

Results

Of the total studies found, only 18 met the inclusion criteria; four retrospective and 14 prospective studies (including 3 randomized controlled trials–RCT). After PT, 3 studies investigated GFR, 2 found significant improvement; 11 (including 2 RCTs) investigated C-reactive protein levels, 9 found a significant improvement (including the 2 RCTs); 5 (including 3 RCTs) investigated Interleukine-6 level, 4 found a significant improvement (including 2 RCTs) and 2 studies evaluated mortality, one (retrospective study) found a significant difference.

Conclusions

Within the limitations of the present study, PT seems to improve CKD status, especially by reducing the systemic inflammation. Further RCTs are needed to confirm the results and specifically assess the influence of different types of PT in CKD patients. Taking into consideration the ability of PT to prevent further tooth loss and denutrition, early management of periodontitis is extremely important in patients with impaired renal function.
Dysregulation of erythropoiesis and altered erythroblastic NMDA receptor-mediated calcium influx in Lrfn2-deficient mice
Authors: Maekawa Ryuta , Muto Hideki , Hatayama Minoru , Aruga Jun
Published: January 2021

LRFN2 encodes a synaptic adhesion-like molecule that physically interacts with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor 1 and its scaffold proteins. Previous studies in humans and mice have demonstrated its genetic association with neurodevelopmental disorders such as learning deficiency and autism. In this study, we showed that Lrfn2-deficient (KO) mice exhibit abnormalities of erythropoietic systems due to altered NMDA receptor function. In mature Lrfn2 KO male mice, peripheral blood tests showed multilineage abnormalities, including normocytic erythrocythemia, and reduced platelet volume. Colony forming unit assay using bone marrow cells revealed decreases in the counts of erythrocyte progenitors (CFU-E) as well as granulocytes and monocyte progenitors (CFU-GM). Whole bone marrow cell staining showed that serum erythropoietin (EPO) level was decreased and EPO receptor-like immunoreactivity was increased. Flow cytometry analysis of bone marrow cells revealed increased early erythroblast count and increased transferrin receptor expression in late erythroblasts. Further, we found that late erythroblasts in Lrfn2 KO exhibited defective NMDA receptor-mediated calcium influx, which was inhibited by the NMDA receptor antagonist MK801. These results indicate that Lrfn2 has biphasic roles in hematopoiesis and is associated with the functional integrity of NMDA receptors in hematopoietic cells. Furthermore, taken together with previous studies that showed the involvement of NMDA receptors in hematopoiesis, the results of this study indicate that Lrfn2 may regulate erythropoiesis through its regulatory activity on NMDA receptors.
Cost-effectiveness of TLC-NOSF dressings versus neutral dressings for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in France
Authors: Maunoury Franck , Oury Anaïs , Fortin Sophie , Thomassin Laetitia , Bohbot Serge ,   on behalf of the Explorer Study
Published: January 2021

This study assesses the cost-effectiveness of Technology Lipido-Colloid with Nano Oligo Saccharide Factor (TLC-NOSF) wound dressings versus neutral dressings in the management of diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) from a French collective perspective. We used a Markov microsimulation cohort model to simulate the DFU monthly progression over the lifetime horizon. Our study employed a mixed method design with model inputs including data from interventional and observational studies, French databases and expert opinion. The demographic characteristics of the simulated population and clinical efficacy were based on the EXPLORER double-blind randomized controlled trial. Health-related quality of life, costs, and resource use inputs were taken from the literature relevant to the French context. The main outcomes included life-years without DFU (LYsw/DFU), quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), amputations, and lifetime costs. To assess the robustness of the results, sensitivity and subgroup analyses based on the wound duration at treatment initiation were performed. Treatment with the TLC-NOSF dressing led to total cost savings per patient of EUR 35,489, associated with gains of 0.50 LYw/DFUand 0.16 QALY. TLC-NOSF dressings were established as the dominant strategy in the base case and all sensitivity analyses. Furthermore, the model revealed that, for every 100 patients treated with TLC-NOSF dressings, two amputations could be avoided. According to the subgroup analysis results, the sooner the TLC-NOSF treatment was initiated, the better were the outcomes, with the highest benefits for ulcers with a duration of two months or less (+0.65 LYw/DFU, +0.23 QALY, and cost savings of EUR 55,710). The results from the French perspective are consistent with the ones from the German and British perspectives. TLC-NOSF dressings are cost-saving compared to neutral dressings, leading to an increase in patients’ health benefits and a decrease in the associated treatment costs. These results can thus be used to guide healthcare decisionmakers. The potential savings could represent EUR 3,345 per treated patient per year and even reach EUR 4,771 when TLC-NOSF dressings are used as first line treatment. The EXPLORER trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01717183.
A survival model for course-course interactions in a Massive Open Online Course platform
Authors: Wintermute Edwin H. , Cisel Matthieu , Lindner Ariel B.
Published: January 2021

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platforms incorporate large course catalogs from which individual students may register multiple courses. We performed a network-based analysis of student achievement, considering how course-course interactions may positively or negatively affect student success. Our data set included 378,000 users and 1,000,000 unique registration events in France Université Numérique (FUN), a national MOOC platform. We adapt reliability theory to model certificate completion rates with a Weibull survival function, following the intuition that students “survive” in a course for a certain time before stochastically dropping out. Course-course interactions are found to be well described by a single parameter for user engagement that can be estimated from a user’s registration profile. User engagement, in turn, correlates with certificate rates in all courses regardless of specific content. The reliability approach is shown to capture several certificate rate patterns that are overlooked by conventional regression models. User engagement emerges as a natural metric for tracking student progress across demographics and over time.
The benefits of action to reduce household air pollution (BAR-HAP) model: A new decision support tool
Authors: Das Ipsita , Lewis Jessica J. , Ludolph Ramona , Bertram Melanie , Adair-Rohani Heather , Jeuland Marc
Published: January 2021

Cooking with polluting and inefficient fuels and technologies is responsible for a large set of global harms, ranging from health and time losses among the billions of people who are energy poor, to environmental degradation at a regional and global scale. This paper presents a new decision-support model–the BAR-HAP Tool–that is aimed at guiding planning of policy interventions to accelerate transitions towards cleaner cooking fuels and technologies. The conceptual model behind BAR-HAP lies in a framework of costs and benefits that is holistic and comprehensive, allows consideration of multiple policy interventions (subsidies, financing, bans, and behavior change communication), and realistically accounts for partial adoption and use of improved cooking technology. It incorporates evidence from recent efforts to characterize the relevant set of parameters that determine those costs and benefits, including those related to intervention effectiveness. Practical aspects of the tool were modified based on feedback from a pilot testing workshop with multisectoral users in Nepal. To demonstrate the functionality of the BAR-HAP tool, we present illustrative calculations related to several cooking transitions in the context of Nepal. In accounting for the multifaceted nature of the issue of household air pollution, the BAR-HAP model is expected to facilitate cross-sector dialogue and problem-solving to address this major health, environment and development challenge.
Realist evaluation to improve health systems responsiveness to neglected health needs of vulnerable groups in Ghana and Vietnam: Study protocol
Authors: Mirzoev Tolib , Manzano Ana , Ha Bui Thi Thu , Agyepong Irene Akua , Trang Do Thi Hanh , Danso-Appiah Anthony , Thi Le Minh , Ashinyo Mary Eyram , Vui Le Thi , Gyimah Leveana , Chi Nguyen Thai Quynh , Yevoo Lucy , Duong Doan Thi Thuy , Awini Elizabeth , Hicks Joseph Paul , Cronin de Chavez Anna , Kane Sumit
Published: January 2021

Background

Socio-economic growth in many low and middle-income countries has resulted in more available, though not equitably accessible, healthcare. Such growth has also increased demands from citizens for their health systems to be more responsive to their needs. This paper shares a protocol for the RESPONSE study which aims to understand, co-produce, implement and evaluate context-sensitive interventions to improve health systems responsiveness to health needs of vulnerable groups in Ghana and Vietnam.

Methods

We will use a realist mixed-methods theory-driven case study design, combining quantitative (household survey, secondary analysis of facility data) and qualitative (in-depth interviews, focus groups, observations and document and literature review) methods. Data will be analysed retroductively. The study will comprise three Phases. In Phase 1, we will understand actors’ expectations of responsive health systems, identify key priorities for interventions, and using evidence from a realist synthesis we will develop an initial theory and generate a baseline data. In Phase 2, we will co-produce jointly with key actors, the context-sensitive interventions to improve health systems responsiveness. The interventions will seek to improve internal (i.e. intra-system) and external (i.e. people-systems) interactions through participatory workshops. In Phase 3, we will implement and evaluate the interventions by testing and refining our initial theory through comparing the intended design to the interventions’ actual performance.

Discussion

The study’s key outcomes will be: (1) improved health systems responsiveness, contributing to improved health services and ultimately health outcomes in Ghana and Vietnam and (2) an empirically-grounded and theoretically-informed model of complex contexts-mechanisms-outcomes relations, together with transferable best practices for scalability and generalisability. Decision-makers across different levels will be engaged throughout. Capacity strengthening will be underpinned by in-depth understanding of capacity needs and assets of each partner team, and will aim to strengthen individual, organisational and system level capacities.
Birds of a feather moult together: Differences in moulting distribution of four species of storm-petrels
Authors: Ausems Anne N. M. A. , Skrzypek Grzegorz , Wojczulanis-Jakubas Katarzyna , Jakubas Dariusz
Published: January 2021

The non-breeding period of pelagic seabirds, and particularly the moulting stage, is an important, but understudied part of their annual cycle as they are hardly accessible outside of the breeding period. Knowledge about the moulting ecology of seabirds is important to understand the challenges they face outside and within the breeding season. Here, we combined stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) signatures of rectrices grown during the non-breeding period of two pairs of storm-petrel species breeding in the northern (European storm-petrel,Hydrobates pelagicus, ESP; Leach’s storm-petrel,Hydrobates leucorhous, LSP) and southern (black-bellied storm-petrel,Fregetta tropica, BBSP; Wilson’s storm-petrel,Oceanites oceanicus, WSP) hemispheres to determine differences in moulting ranges within and between species. To understand clustering patterns inδ13C andδ18O moulting signatures, we examined various variables: species, sexes, years, morphologies (feather growth rate, body mass, tarsus length, wing length) andδ15N. We found that different factors could explain the differences within and between the four species. We additionally employed a geographical distribution prediction model based on oceanicδ13C andδ18O isoscapes, combined with chlorophyll-aconcentrations and observational data to predict potential moulting areas of the sampled feather type. The northern species were predicted to moult in temperate and tropical Atlantic zones. BBSP was predicted to moult on the southern hemisphere north of the Southern Ocean, while WSP was predicted to moult further North, including in the Arctic and northern Pacific. While moulting distribution can only be estimated on large geographical scales usingδ13C andδ18O, validating predictive outcomes with food availability proxies and observational data may provide valuable insights into important moulting grounds. Establishing those, in turn, is important for conservation management of elusive pelagic seabirds.
Association between population distribution and urban GDP scaling
Authors: Ribeiro Haroldo V. , Oehlers Milena , Moreno-Monroy Ana I. , Kropp Jürgen P. , Rybski Diego
Published: January 2021

Urban scaling and Zipf’s law are two fundamental paradigms for the science of cities. These laws have mostly been investigated independently and are often perceived as disassociated matters. Here we present a large scale investigation about the connection between these two laws using population and GDP data from almost five thousand consistently-defined cities in 96 countries. We empirically demonstrate that both laws are tied to each other and derive an expression relating the urban scaling and Zipf exponents. This expression captures the average tendency of the empirical relation between both exponents, and simulations yield very similar results to the real data after accounting for random variations. We find that while the vast majority of countries exhibit increasing returns to scale of urban GDP, this effect is less pronounced in countries with fewer small cities and more metropolises (small Zipf exponent) than in countries with a more uneven number of small and large cities (large Zipf exponent). Our research puts forward the idea that urban scaling does not solely emerge from intra-city processes, as population distribution and scaling of urban GDP are correlated to each other.
National trends in the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among Thai patients with type 2 diabetes and its associated factors from 2014 to 2018
Authors: Euswas Nathakamol , Phonnopparat Napat , Morasert Kantapat , Thakhampaeng Pongpisut , Kaewsanit Apisit , Mungthin Mathirut , Rangsin Ram , Sakboonyarat Boonsub
Published: January 2021

Introduction

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common and serious ocular complications in both developed and developing countries. To date, epidemiological data of DR and their associated factors in Southeast Asian countries especially in Thailand are scarce. We aimed to use the information from the Thailand Diabetes Mellitus/Hypertension (DM/HT) study to determine trends in DR prevalence and also risk factors among Thai patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods

A series of cross-sectional surveys of clinical outcomes was conducted annually in 2014, 2015 and 2018 among patients with T2D aged >18 years receiving medical care for at least 12 months. A stratified single stage cluster sampling method that was proportional to the size sampling technique was used to select a nationally and provincially representative sample of patients with T2D in Thailand. A standardized case report form was used to obtain the required information from medical records.

Results

A total of 104,472 Thai patients with T2D were included in the study from 2014 to 2018. The dominant proportion of participants, 70,756 (67.7%), were females. The overall prevalence of DR declined from 6.9% in 2014 to 6.3% in 2015 and 5.0% in 2018 (p for trend <0.001). The independent associated factors with DR included survey year, greater duration of DM, geographic region, hospital level, social security scheme, dyslipidemia, insulin therapy, high HbA1c level and elevated pulse pressure.

Conclusion

We reported a decreasing in trend in the prevalence of DR among Thai patients with T2D over one half decade. Patients with T2D should be encouraged to control their underlying diseases and engage in other effective interventions. When these modifiable risk factors can be inhibited, DR and other cardiovascular complications will be alleviated.
Text messaging as a tool to improve cancer screening programs (M-TICS Study): A randomized controlled trial protocol
Authors: Vives Nuria , Farre Albert , Ibáñez-Sanz Gemma , Vidal Carmen , Binefa Gemma , Milà Núria , Pérez-Lacasta Maria Jose , Travier Noemie , Benito Llucia , Espinàs Josep Alfons , Bagaria Guillermo , Garcia Montse
Published: January 2021

Background

Short message service (SMS) based interventions are widely used in healthcare and have shown promising results to improve cancer screening programs. However, more research is still needed to implement SMS in the screening process. We present a study protocol to assess the impact on health and economics of three targeted SMS-based interventions in population-based cancer screening programs.

Methods/Design

The M-TICs study is a randomized controlled trial with a formal process evaluation. Participants aged 50–69 years identified as eligible from the colorectal cancer (CRC) and breast cancer (BC) screening program of the Catalan Institute of Oncology (Catalonia, Spain) will be randomly assigned to receive standard invitation procedure (control group) or SMS-based intervention to promote participation. Two interventions will be conducted in the CRC screening program: 1) Screening invitation reminder: Those who do not participate in the CRC screening within 6 weeks of invite will receive a reminder (SMS or letter); 2) Reminder to complete and return fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit: SMS reminder versus no intervention to individuals who have picked up a FIT kit at the pharmacy and they have not returned it after 14 days. The third intervention will be performed in the BC screening program. Women who had been screened previously will receive an SMS invitation or a letter invitation to participate in the screening.

As a primary objective we will assess the impact on participation for each intervention. The secondary objectives will be to analyze the cost-effectiveness of the interventions and to assess participants’ perceptions.

Expected results

The results from this randomized controlled trial will provide important empirical evidence for the use of mobile phone technology as a tool for improving population-based cancer screening programs. These results may influence the cancer screening invitation procedure in future routine practice.

Trial registration

Registry: NCT04343950 (04/09/2020); clinicaltrials.gov.
Silvopasture policy promotion in European Mediterranean areas
Authors: Rodríguez-Rigueiro Francisco Javier , Santiago-Freijanes José Javier , Mosquera-Losada María Rosa , Castro Marina , Silva-Losada Pablo , Pisanelli Andrea , Pantera Anastasia , Rigueiro-Rodríguez Antonio , Ferreiro-Domínguez Nuria
Published: January 2021

Silvopasture is the deliberate integration of a woody component with grazed pastures as understorey. It is one of the most extended agroforestry practices all over the world. Silvopasture use is key to increase the sustainability of livestock farming systems as silvopasture reduces the use of concentrates since the woody component provides feed for animals. However, it is not an extensively used practice in Europe. This paper aims at evaluating, from Eurostat, LUCAS database and the 118 rural development programs, the current situation of permanent grasslands in the Mediterranean area of Europe as well as the rural development programmes fostering silvopasture to better understand how sustainable land use systems are promoted and provide insights to foster silvopasture across Europe. The results of this study show that most of the policy measures related to silvopasture are adapted to the local necessity. The already existing agroforestry managed land (dehesas/montado) are related to measures supporting regeneration and maintenance while in those areas where agroforestry does not exist the measures are related to forest fire prevention.
Drug use for gastrointestinal symptoms during pregnancy: A French nationwide study 2010–2018
Authors: Meyer Antoine , Fermaut Marion , Drouin Jérôme , Carbonnel Franck , Weill Alain
Published: January 2021

Purpose

To describe drug prescription for gastrointestinal symptoms during pregnancy.

Methods

Using the French national health database, we identified pregnancies ending with a birth between April 2010 and December 2018, in France. We studied prescription of antacids, antispasmodics, antinauseants, laxatives and antidiarrheals during pregnancy, between two trimesters before and two trimesters after delivery. We also assessed hospitalization for gastrointestinal symptoms during pregnancy.

Results

Among 6,365,471 pregnancies, 4,452,779 (74.0%) received at least one gastrointestinal drug during pregnancy; 2,228,275 (37.0%) received an antacid, 3,096,858 (51.5%) an antispasmodic, 1,861,731 (31.0%) an antinauseant, 919,116 (15.3%) a laxative and 617,808 (10.3%) an antidiarrheal. Prescription of proton pump inhibitors doubled from 12.2% in 2010 to 26.0% in 2018, while domperidone use decreased from 18.3% in 2010 to 2.2% in 2018. In addition, prescription of antacids increased from 7.0% during the trimester before pregnancy to 11.8% during the 1st trimester, 17.0% during the 2nd trimester and 23.4% during the 3rd trimester. Antispasmodic use was 10.6% during the trimester before pregnancy, 23.1% during the 1st trimester, 25.2% during the 2nd trimester and 24.0% during the 3rd trimester. Prescription of antinauseant drugs increased from 5.0% during the trimester before pregnancy to 25.7% during the 1st trimester, then decreased to 6.4% during the 2nd trimester and 3.2% during the 3rd trimester. Nausea/vomiting was the most common cause of hospitalization for gastrointestinal symptoms or diseases during pregnancy, although it accounted for only 1.0% of pregnancies.

Conclusions

Approximately three-quarters of women use drugs for gastrointestinal symptoms during pregnancy in France. Prescription of gastrointestinal drugs during pregnancy should be the subject of more detailed risk-benefit assessment and recommendations.
Risk factors for neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease during COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
Authors: Kitani-Morii Fukiko , Kasai Takashi , Horiguchi Go , Teramukai Satoshi , Ohmichi Takuma , Shinomoto Makiko , Fujino Yuzo , Mizuno Toshiki
Published: January 2021

The worsening of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been a concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, because most people worked in self-isolation for fear of infection. We aimed to clarify the impact of social restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic on neuropsychiatric symptoms in PD patients and to identify risk factors associated with these symptoms. A cross-sectional, hospital-based survey was conducted from April 22, 2020 to May 15, 2020. PD patients and their family members were asked to complete paper-based questionnaires about neuropsychiatric symptoms by mail. PD patients were evaluated for motor symptoms using MDS-UPDRS part 2 by telephone interview. A total of 71 responders (39 PD patients and 32 controls) completed the study. Although there was no difference in the age distribution, the rate of females was significantly lower in PD patients (35%) than controls (84%) (P < 0.001). Participants with clinical depression (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10) were more common in PD patients (39%) than controls (6%) (P = 0.002). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that an MDS-UPDRS part 2 score was correlated with the presence of clinical depression (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10) and clinical anxiety (GAD-7 score ≥ 7) (clinical depression: OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.04–1.66; P = 0.025; clinical anxiety: OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.07–1.72; P = 0.013). In the presence of social restrictions, more attention needs to be paid to the neuropsychiatric complications of PD patients, especially those with more severe motor symptoms.
School policies and practices associated with Thai children’s overall and domain specific physical activity
Authors: Amornsriwatanakul Areekul , Lester Leanne , Rosenberg Michael , Bull Fiona
Published: January 2021

School has a significant role in providing opportunities for children to engage in physical activity (PA) through policies and practices. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of school policies and practices related to physical activity (PA) and their association with Thai students’ overall and domain specific PA. This cross-sectional analysis included 5,830 students aged 6–17 years from 136 schools recruited though a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling across Thailand. Student’s PA data were assessed using a student survey and school data were collected by a principal survey. Associations between students’ PA and school variables were examined using logistic regressions. Despite a high prevalence of Thai schools reporting many policies and practices promoting PA in different areas, students reported low levels of PA. None of the school PA policies and practices was associated with students’ overall and domain specific activities, with active transport as the one exception. When schools had an active transport policy, students were 40% (OR = 1.40, p = 0.01) more likely to travel actively to/from school. The identified positive relationship between school active transport policy and students’ active travel behavior suggests a potential wider adoption of the policy promoting school active transport aiming to increase student’s PA levels among all Thai schools. Intervention studies are necessary to confirm this finding. Our study also reflected that, for greater levels of children’s school-based PA, strategies to translate the existing school PA policies into effective implementation should be an emphasis for Thai schools.
Serum Amyloid P inhibits single stranded RNA-induced lung inflammation, lung damage, and cytokine storm in mice
Authors: Karhadkar Tejas R. , Pilling Darrell , Gomer Richard H.
Published: January 2021

SARS-CoV-2 is a single stranded RNA (ssRNA) virus and contains GU-rich sequences distributed abundantly in the genome. In COVID-19, the infection and immune hyperactivation causes accumulation of inflammatory immune cells, blood clots, and protein aggregates in lung fluid, increased lung alveolar wall thickness, and upregulation of serum cytokine levels. A serum protein called serum amyloid P (SAP) has a calming effect on the innate immune system and shows efficacy as a therapeutic for fibrosis in animal models and clinical trials. Here we show that aspiration of the GU-rich ssRNA oligonucleotide ORN06 into mouse lungs induces all of the above COVID-19-like symptoms. Men tend to have more severe COVID-19 symptoms than women, and in the aspirated ORN06 model, male mice tended to have more severe symptoms than female mice. Intraperitoneal injections of SAP starting from day 1 post ORN06 aspiration attenuated the ORN06-induced increase in the number of inflammatory cells and formation of clot-like aggregates in the mouse lung fluid, reduced ORN06-increased alveolar wall thickness and accumulation of exudates in the alveolar airspace, and attenuated an ORN06-induced upregulation of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p70, IL-23, and IL-27 in serum. SAP also reduced D-dimer levels in the lung fluid. In human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, SAP attenuated ORN06-induced extracellular accumulation of IL-6. Together, these results suggest that aspiration of ORN06 is a simple model for both COVID-19 as well as cytokine storm in general, and that SAP is a potential therapeutic for diseases with COVID-19-like symptoms and/or a cytokine storm.