bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The associations between social, built and geophysical environment and age-specific dementia mortality in a high-density Asian city
Authors: Ho Hung Chak , Fong Kenneth N.K. , Chan Ta-Chien , Shi Yuan
Published: July 2020

BackgroundAlthough socio-environmental factors which may affect dementia have widely been studied, the mortality of dementia and environmental relationships have seldom been discussed. Method: A register-based study was conducted to evaluate the relationships of four individual-level social measures, two community-level social measures, six short-term (temporal-varying) environmental measures, and four long-term (spatial-varying) environmental measures with dementia mortality in a high-density Asian city (Hong Kong), for the following decedents: 1) all ages, 2) “old-old”: age >= 85, 3) “mid-old”: aged 75 - 84, and 4) “young-old”: aged 65 – 74. ResultsThis study identified 5438 deaths (3771 old-old; 1439 mid-old; 228 young-old) from dementia out of 228,600 all-cause deaths among older adults in Hong Kong between 2007 and 2014. Generally, regional air pollution, being unmarried or female, older age, and daily O3 were associated with higher dementia mortality, while more urban compactness and greenness were linked to lower dementia mortality. Specifically, being unmarried and age effect was linked to higher dementia mortality among the “old-old”, “mid-old” and “young-old”. Regional air pollution was linked to increased dementia mortality, while urban compactness and greenness were associated with lower dementia mortality among the “old-old” and “mid-old”. Higher daily O3 had higher dementia mortality, while districts with a greater percentage of residents whose native language is not Cantonese was linked to lower dementia mortality among the “old-old”. Economic inactivity was associated with increased dementia mortality among the “young-old”. Gender effect varied by age.ConclusionThe differing strengths of association of various factors with dementia mortality among different age groups implies the need for a comprehensive framework for community health planning. In particular, strategies for air quality control, usage of greenspace and social space, and activity engagement to reduce vulnerability at all ages are warranted.
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocol Examining the Clinical Characteristics and Epidemiological Features of Olfactory Dysfunction in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Authors: Tan Rosemond Qian-Xiu , Li Wai Tak Victor , Shum Wing-Zi , Chu Sheung Chit , Li Hang-Long , Shea Yat-Fung , Chung Tom Wai-Hin
Published: July 2020

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused recurring and major outbreaks in multiple human populations around the world. The plethora of clinical manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been described extensively, of which COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction (OD) has been recognised as an important and common symptom of COVID-19 infection. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of peer-reviewed articles, which described clinical data of smell disturbances and OD in COVID-19 patients.MethodsThis research protocol has been prospectively registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42020196202). Accordingly, PubMed (MEDLINE) articles published from 1st January 2020 to 10th June 2020 will be searched using the following keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, 2019-nCoV, or novel coronavirus. Systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and the Meta-analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines. Articles will be screened according to the pre-specified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included articles will be reviewed in full; data including patient demographics, clinical characteristics of COVID-19-related OD, methods of olfactory assessment, and relevant clinical outcomes will be extracted. Statistical analyses will be performed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 3.DiscussionThis systematic review and meta-analysis will exclusively evaluate OD as a symptom of COVID-19 infection. We aim to collate and synthesise all available clinical evidence regarding COVID-19-related OD. A comprehensive search strategy and screening process will be used to ensure that all relevant clinical data are included for statistical analysis and representation. The outcome of this study will improve our understanding of the symptomatology and clinical characteristics of COVID-19-related OD and serves to identify knowledge gaps in its disease process, which will guide future research regarding this specific neurosensory impairment.Systematic Review registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020196202
Impact of Remittances Inflows and Macroeconomic Stability on Poverty in Nigeria (1977-2014)
Authors: Onoja Anthony O. , Chagwiza Clarietta
Published: July 2020

The study explored the trend and effects of macroeconomic conditions on poverty (using household consumption as proxy for poverty) in Nigeria. It also analyzed how foreign migration remittances affect aggregate household poverty. It relied on secondary data analyzed using trend and cointegration analysis. It was found that on the long run, when gleaned from the perspective of aggregate household consumption, level of poverty in the country could be explained by economic growth (GDP per capita current USD, lngdp), volume of export trade as percentage of GDP (lnexptrgdp), official exchange rate of Nigerian Naira to USD (lnforex), inflation rate (lninf) and age dependency ratio of population (proxy for aggregate level of unemployment) (lnagedprat). Efforts must be put in place to promote youth employment opportunities, export market access to Small and medium scale enterprises, proper management of foreign exchange regimes. Since migration is not a sustainable source of income for the country, Nigerian authorities must provide education and skills acquisition opportunities too and enhanced working conditions to reduce dependency on immigration as a source of poverty reduction in households.
Diagnostic Value of 18F-FDG PET/MRI For Staging in Patients With Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Tsuyoshi Hideaki , Tsujikawa Tetsuya , Yamada Shizuka , Okazawa Hidehiko , Yoshida Yoshio
Published: July 2020

Purpose
To evaluate the diagnostic potential of PET/MRI with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) in ovarian cancer.
Materials and Methods
Participants comprised 103 patients with suspected ovarian cancer underwent pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/MRI, contrast-enhanced CT (ceCT) and pelvic dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (ceMRI). Diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/MRI and ceMRI for assessing the characterization and the extent of the primary tumor (T stage) and 18F-FDG PET/MRI and ceCT for assessing nodal (N stage) and distant (M stage) metastases was evaluated by two experienced readers. Histopathological and follow-up imaging results were used as the gold standard. The McNemar test was employed for statistical analysis.
Results
Accuracy for the characterization of suspected ovarian cancer was significantly better for 18F-FDG PET/MRI (92.5%) than for ceMRI (80.6%; p < 0.05). Accuracy for T status was 96.4% and 92.9% for 18F-FDG PET/MRI and ceMRI/ceCT, respectively. Patient-based accuracies for N and M status were 100% and 100% for 18F-FDG PET/MRI and 85.2% and 30.8% for ceCT and M staging representing significant differences (p < 0.01). Lesion-based sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for N status were 78.6%, 95.7% and 93.9% for 18F-FDG PET/MRI and 42.9%, 96.6% and 90.8% for ceCT.
Conclusions
Use of 18F-FDG PET/MRI offers higher diagnostic value for the characterization and M staging than ceMRI and ceCT, and diagnostic value for T and N staging equivalent to ceMRI and ceCT, suggesting that 18F-FDG PET/MRI might represent a useful diagnostic alternative to conventional imaging modalities in ovarian cancer.
Evaluation of the therapeutic effect of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy on patients with aspiration pneumonia accompanied by respiratory failure in the post-stroke sequelae stage
Authors: Xing Dong , Chen Yu-Hong , Wang Lan-Tao , Yu Bin , Ran Zhi-Bin , Chen Li
Published: July 2020

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy on patients with aspiration pneumonia accompanied by respiratory failure in the post-stroke sequelae stage, with the goal of providing more effective oxygen therapy and improving patient prognosis.Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted on 103 elderly patients with post-stroke aspiration pneumonia and moderate respiratory failure (oxygenation index: 100–200 mmHg) that had been admitted. The patients were divided into two groups according to the mode of oxygen therapy that was used: the Venturi mask group and the HFNC treatment group. The two groups were analyzed and compared in terms of the changes in the blood gas indices measured at different points in time (4, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h), the proportion of patients that required transition to invasive auxiliary ventilation, and the 28-day mortality rate.Results: 103 patients were retrospectively analyzed; 16 cases were excluded, and 87 patients were included in the final patient group (42 in the HFNC group and 45 in the Venturi group). There was a statistically significant difference in the oxygenation indices of the HFNC group and the Venturi group (F = 546.811, P < 0.05). There was a statistically significant interaction between the monitored oxygenation indices and the mode of oxygen therapy (F = 70.961, P < 0.05), and there was a statistically significant difference in the oxygenation indices for the two modes of oxygen therapy (F = 256.977, P < 0.05). HFNC therapy contributed to the improvement of the oxygenation indices at a rate of 75.1%. The Venturi and HFNC groups also differed significantly in terms of the proportion of patients that required transition to invasive auxiliary ventilation within 72 h (P < 0.05). The HFNC group’s risk for invasive ventilation was 0.406 times that of the Venturi group (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the 28-day mortality rate of the two groups (P > 0.05).Conclusion: HFNC could significantly improve the oxygenation state of patients with post-stroke aspiration pneumonia and respiratory failure, and it may reduce the incidence of invasive ventilation.
The Important Herbal Pair for the Treatment of COVID-19 and Its Possible Mechanisms
Authors: Xia Shujie , Zhong Zhangfeng , Gao Bizhen , Vong Chi Teng , Cai Jin , Lin Xuejuan , Chen Shujiao , Chan Ging , Li CanDong
Published: July 2020

Background: Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an unprecedented disaster for people around the world. Many studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicines(TCM) are indeed effective in treating COVID-19. However, it is a hard work to find the most effective combination laws among numerous herbs as well as its potential mechanisms. The purpose of this article is to explore the combination laws of traditional Chinses medicine(TCM) prescriptions and pick out the most important herbal pair for treating COVID-19 and analyze the active components and potential mechanisms. Methods: We first systematically sorted out the TCM prescriptions recommended by leading experts for treating COVID-19 and the specific herbs they contained in different stages of disease. Next, the association rule approach was employed to examine the distribution and combination laws among these TCM prescription, and then picked out the most important herbal pair. On this basis, we further investigated the active ingredients and potential targets in the selected herbal pair by a network pharmacology approach. Result: We obtained 32 association rules for herb combinations in the process of TCM treatment for COVID-19. It was found that the combination of Amygdalus Communis Vas(ACV) and Ephedra sinica Stapf (ESS) had the highest confidence degree and lift value as well as high support degree, which can be used in almost all stages of COVID-19, so ACV and ESS (AE) was selected as the most important herbal pair. There were 26 active ingredients and 44 potential targets, which may be relate to the herbal pair of AE against COVID-19. The main active ingredients of AE against COVID-19 are quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin and the potential important targets are Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase 1 (MAPK)1, MAPK8, Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB) p65 subunit (RELA) and so on. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) cluster demonstrated that IL-6 was the seed in the cluster, which plays an important role in connecting other nodes in the PPI network. The significant pathways mainly involved in tumor necrosis factor (TNF), Toll-like receptor (TLR), hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor(NLRs). Conclusion: Amygdalus Communis Vas and Ephedra sinica Stapf was the most important herbal pair in the treatment of COVID-19. The main active ingredients of AE against COVID-19 were quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin and the important targets were IL-6，MAPK1, MAPK8, IL-1β, RELA and so on. AE may have therapeutic effects against COVID-19 by affecting the pathological processes such as inflammatory and immune responses, cell apoptosis, hypoxia damage and other pathological processes through multiple components, multiple targets and multiple pathways.
The capacity-building role of Community Liaison Workers with refugee communities in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Chopra Prem , Wei Karen , Strehlow Susie , Stow Mardi , Kaplan Ida , Szwarc Josef , Minas Harry
Published: July 2020

Background

A range of services within Australia and internationally have been developed that are focused on the engagement of individuals who are of refugee background to work as a liaison between their communities and mental health services. The Community Liaison Worker (CLW) role at the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (VFST) was developed in 2008 in order to engage in such capacity-building initiatives.
Aims

To review and document the establishment, evolution and current status of the VFST CLW role, and examine the perspectives of CLWs on their role in trauma-informed community capacity-building.
Methods

The study comprised of two stages: a historical case study of the development of the CLW role, and a qualitative research study based on interviews with CLWs in order to identify key themes regarding various aspects of their role and understand the facilitators and barriers to their work of trauma-informed capacity-building with their respective communities.
Results

The CLW role has evolved from the provision of direct services through joint work with Counsellor Advocates at VFST to a broader role that is focused on building the capacity of community members. Thematic analysis of interviews with the seven current CLWs identified the complexity of their dual role as members of their community and employees of VFST, their role in addressing short-term goals to meet community needs, and the long-term objective of empowering their community to become integrated and self-sufficient.
Conclusions

CLWs at VFST demonstrate important work of Liaison Workers in facilitating trauma-informed capacity-building initiatives that are of benefit to members of their communities and also to service providers.
Inverse Correlation between Age and Risk of Lymph Node Metastasis in Bladder Cancer
Authors: Ma Wenchao , Wang Tiantian , Guo Yadong , Wang Ruiliang , Liu Ji , Li Cheng , Maskey Niraj , Zhang Wentao , Yao Xudong
Published: July 2020

Background Bladder cancer (BCa) is the most common malignant tumor in humans and brings about a huge burden on the international community and on the families of those it affects. Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is an important factor affecting the prognosis of BCa. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors affecting LNM.Patients and Methods This study involved 5517 patients who underwent BCa-related surgery between 2006 and 2015. The multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between age and LNM. The overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method. The multivariable Cox regression model was used to evaluate independent risk factors affecting OS and CSS.Results We retrieved 5517 cases from SEER database, including 148 patients aged 40-49 years, 726 aged 50-59 years, 1541 aged 60-69 years, 1538 aged 70-79 years and 1564 aged 80+ years. The rates of LNM were 20.27%, 16.94%, 11.94%, 9.95% and 6.46% for patients aged 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and 80+ years. We found an inverse correlation between age at diagnosis and risk of LNM from the logistic regression analysis in three modules(Module 1: P-value for trend, crude, no adjustment < 0.001; Module 2: P-value for trend adjusted for sex, race, insurance status, and marital status < 0.001; Module 3: P-value for trend adjusted for sex, race, insurance, marital status, size, grade, and metastasis < 0.001). Compared with patients aged 40–49 years, patients aged 50–59 years (OR = 0.752; 95% CI, 0.470–1.204; P = 0.236), 60–69 years (OR = 0.517; 95% CI, 0.329–0.815; P = 0.004), 70–79 years (OR = 0.375; 95% CI, 0.237–0.595; P < 0.001), and 80+ years (OR = 0.248; 95% CI, 0.154–0.398; P < 0.001) had a lower risk of LNM.ConclusionsYounger age at diagnosis was associated with a higher risk of LNM in patients with BCa. Excepting this, grade and metastasis were also risk factors for LNM.
Metabolic Bone Disease in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients (CKD-MBD) and its Associated Factors at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es salaam, Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: MUNGULLUH FELIX FAUSTIN , Ruggajo Paschal , Furia Francis F.
Published: July 2020

Background: Metabolic bone disease in chronic kidney disease patients is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and it has been reported to start early in the course of the disease and worsen as the kidney damage progresses. However, the prevalence and factors associated with metabolic bone disease in chronic kidney disease patients in our setting has not been established, so we aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with metabolic bone disease among patients with chronic kidney disease at a tertiary Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es salaam, Tanzania so as to help physicians recognize the patients at risk, diagnose the problem and prevent complications sooner.Methods: This was a hospital based cross-sectional study involving adult patients with chronic kidney disease attending renal unit Muhimbili National Hospital, a tertiary referral center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Systematic sampling technique was employed to get study participants after being given informed consent. In this study, CKD-MBD was defined basing on the abnormality of serum calcium, phosphate or parathyroid hormone level. Data analysis was done using the SPSS version 23.0 software.Results: A total of 300 participants with chronic kidney disease stage 3 and above were included in this study. Majority were male, 198 (66.0%), with a mean age of 53 years. The prevalence of metabolic bone disease was found to be 75.0%. The most common form of metabolic bone disease was hyperparathyroidism 196 (87.1%), followed by hypocalcemia 174 (77.3%) and hyperphosphatemia 82 (36.4%), which was the least common. Factors which were found to be significantly associated with CKD-MBD were the use of calcium supplements, use of phosphate binders, being on dialysis, a calcium rich diet and a low phosphate diet.Conclusion: Metabolic bone diseases are common in patients with CKD at Muhimbili National Hospital. Patients with CKD should undergo serial assessment of phosphate, calcium and parathyroid hormone level, considered together, so as to diagnose metabolic bone disease early and treat those patients who will be found to have persistently or prolonged abnormalities in these bone mineral biomarkers.
Mitotic arrest affects clustering of tumor cells
Authors: Bonnet Julia , Rigal Lise , Mondesert Odile , Morin Renaud , Corsaut Gaelle , Vigneau Mathieu , Ducommun Bernard , Lobjois Valerie
Published: July 2020

BackgroundCancer cell aggregation is a key process involved in the formation of tumor cells clusters. It has recently been shown that clusters of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have an increased metastatic potential compared to isolated circulating tumor cells. Several widely used chemotherapeutic agents that target the cytoskeleton microtubules and cause cell cycle arrest at mitosis have been reported to modulate the number of CTCs or the size of CTC clusters.ResultsIn this study, we investigated in vitro the impact of mitotic arrest on the ability of breast tumor cells to form clusters. By using live imaging and quantitative image analysis, we found that MCF-7 cancer cell aggregation is compromised upon incubation with paclitaxel or vinorelbine, two chemotherapeutic drugs that target microtubules. In line with these results, we found that MCF-7 breast cancer cells experimentally synchronized and blocked in metaphase aggregated poorly with strongly reduced cohesion. To monitor clustering at the single-cell scale, we next developed and validated an in vitro assay based on live video-microscopy and custom-designed micro-devices. The study of cluster formation from MCF-7 cells that express the fluorescent marker LifeAct-mCherry using this new assay allowed showing that substrate anchorage-independent clustering of MCF-7 cells was associated with the formation of actin-dependent highly dynamic cell protrusions. Metaphase-synchronized and blocked cells did not display such protrusions, and formed very loose clusters that failed to compact.ConclusionsAltogether, our results suggest that mitotic arrest induced by microtubule-targeting anticancer drugs prevents cancer cell clustering and therefore, could reduce the metastatic potential of circulating tumor cells.
Resistance Development to Diflubenzuron and Bacillus Thuringiensis Subsp. Israelensis of Culex Pipiens f. Pipiens and Culex Pipiens f. Molestus (Diptera: Culicidae) and its Effects on Their Winter Survival
Authors: Ioannou Charalampos , Hadjichristodoulou Christos , Kyritsi Maria A. , Papadopoulos Nikos T.
Published: July 2020

Background: The Culex pipiens mosquito consists of two forms named pipiens and molestus that exhibit substantial differences in their biology including overwintering behavior. Diflubenzuron (DFB) and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) are among the most widely used larvicides for controlling Cx. pipiens populations. The high dependency on these two larvicides, pose major concerns for resistance development. The evolution and stability of resistance to insecticides has been associated with fitness costs that may be manifested under stressful conditions such as the winter period. The aim of the present study was to explore the resistance development of pipiens and molestus forms to both larvicides and its potential fitness costs on their winter survival.Methods: Colonies of both forms of Cx. pipiens were established from the same area. Following the World Health Organization protocols (WHO), the efficacy of both larvicides was determined for each mosquito population. Then, larvae from each form were selected for three successive generations by applying fixed doses corresponding to IE80 (IE: Inhibition of adult Emergence) and LC80 (LC: Lethal Concentration) for DFB and Bti respectively. At the end of this process, the resistance levels and the winter survival of the selected populations relative to controls (colonies that received no selection) were determined.Results: Contrary to Bti, selection with DFB induced different levels of resistance between the two forms of Cx. pipiens. The selected populations of Cx. pipiens f. molestus to both larvicides exhibited a high fitness cost in terms of reduced winter larval survival rates relative to control. Moreover, the obtained adults of the Bti selected population experienced significantly shorter lifespan compared to control and DFB selected population. On the other hand, selection with both DFB and Bti had no apparent effects on Cx. pipiens f. pipiens female winter survival rates relative to control. Furthermore, the reproductive parameters and the longevity of the overwintered females were similar between the selected populations and the control. Conclusions: Our findings are expected to contribute on the better understanding of the resistance development and evolution of the two forms of Cx. pipiens to DFB and Bti allowing the adoption of appropriate resistance management strategies.
Prenatal exposure to consumer product chemical mixtures and size for gestational age at delivery
Authors: Bommarito Paige A , Welch Barrett M. , Keil Alexander P , Baker George P , Cantonwine Dave E , McElrath Thomas F , Ferguson Kelly K.
Published: July 2020

Background

While fetal growth is a tightly regulated process, it is sensitive to environmental exposures that occur during pregnancy. Many commonly used consumer products contain chemicals that can disturb processes underlying fetal growth. However, mixtures of these chemicals have been minimally examined. We investigated associations between prenatal exposure to 33 consumer product chemicals (nine organophosphate ester flame retardant [OPE] metabolites, 12 phthalate metabolites, and 12 phenols) and the odds of small- or large-for-gestational age (SGA and LGA) births.
Methods

This case-control study was comprised of SGA (N = 31), LGA (N = 28), and appropriate for gestational age control (N = 31) births selected from the larger LIFECODES cohort. Biomarkers of exposure to consumer product chemicals were quantified in maternal urine collected from up to three study visits during pregnancy. In a single-pollutant approach, odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of SGA and LGA associated with an interquartile range (IQR)-increase in exposure biomarkers were estimated using multinomial logistic regression. In a multi-pollutant approach, quantile g-computation was used to jointly estimate the OR (95% CI) of SGA and LGA per simultaneous one quartile-change in all biomarkers belonging to each chemical class.
Results

Among the 33 biomarkers analyzed, 20 were detected in at least 50% of the participants. After adjusting for potential confounders, we observed reduced odds of LGA in association with higher urinary concentrations of several exposure biomarkers. For example, an IQR-increase in the OPE metabolite, diphenyl phosphate, was associated with lower odds of LGA births (OR: 0.40 [95% CI: 0.18, 0.87]). Using quantile g-computation, we estimated lower odds of an LGA birth for lower OPE metabolites (OR: 0.49 [95% CI: 0.27, 0.89]) and phthalate metabolites (OR: 0.23 [95% CI: 0.07, 0.73]). Associations between consumer product chemicals and SGA were largely null.
Conclusions

Joint exposure to OPEs and phthalates was associated with lower odds of delivering LGA. Associations with LGA could indicate a specific impact of these exposures on the high end of the birth weight spectrum. Future work to understand this nuance in the associations between consumer product chemical mixtures and fetal growth is warranted.
Renal cell carcinoma with a pelvicalyceal system tumor thrombus: a case report
Authors: Li Jia-kuan , Liu Xiao-yong , Chen Rui , Chao Lu , Xiang Yu , Cui Zhi-gang , Song Xiao-tong , Han Wen-tao , Qi Heng-zhi , Wu Ji-hua , Shi Lei , Liu Gang
Published: July 2020

Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCCs) is the most common malignancy of the kidney. When RCC progresses, it is known to form tumor thrombus in the renal vein and/or inferior vena cava. However, RCC does not normally form tumor thrombus in the pelvicalyceal system. Case presentation A 56-year-old man presented to our department for the treatment of a renal tumor with asymptomatic gross hematuria. In a dynamic CT study, contrast enhancement revealed a tumor suspected to be RCC, but atypical finding as a tumor thrombus that filled the pelvicalyceal system was also observed. Nephroureterectomy was performed, and the tumor was diagnosed histopathologically as clear cell RCC and papillary RCC. Conclusion We report a rare case of RCC directly invading the pelvicalyceal system as a thrombus mass, with no microscopic individual tumor implants in the pelvicalyceal system wall, invasion of the renal vein, or invasion of adjacent organs. To our knowledge, only six such cases have been reported in English literature, and as a result, very few theories explaining pelvicalyceal system invasion have been presented. This highlights the signiﬁcance of adding invasion of the pelvicalyceal system as part of the most recent, updated tumor metastases classiﬁcation.
Impact of a Model Used to Simulate Socio-Environmental Stressors Encountered During Spaceflight on Murine Intestinal Microbiota
Authors: Alauzet Corentine , Cunat Lisiane , Wack Maxime , Lanfumey Laurence , Legrand-Frossi Christine , Lozniewski Alain , Agrinier Nelly , Cailliez-Grimal Catherine , Frippiat Jean-Pol
Published: July 2020

Background: During deep-space travels, crewmembers face various physical and psychosocial stressors that could alter gut microbiota composition. Since it is well known that intestinal dysbiosis is involved in the onset or exacerbation of several disorders, the aim of this study was to evaluate changes in intestinal microbiota in a ground-based murine model mimicking psychosocial stressors encountered during a long-term space mission.Results: We demonstrate that 3 weeks of exposure to Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) induce significant change in intracaecal β-diversity characterized by an important increase of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. These stress-induced alterations are associated with a decrease of Porphyromonadaceae, particularly of the genus Barnesiella that is a major member of gut microbiota in mice, but also in human, where it is described as having protective properties.Conclusions: These results raise the question of the impact of stress-induced decrease of beneficial taxa, support recent data obtained with in-flight experimentations or gravity change models, and emphasize the critical need for further studies exploring the impact of spaceflight on intestinal microbiota in order to propose strategies to countermeasure spaceflight-associated dysbiosis and its consequences on health.
Iterative Guided Machine Learning-Assisted Systematic Literature Reviews: A Diabetes Case Study
Authors: Zimmerman John , Soler Robin , James Lavender , Sarah Murphy , Charisma Atkins , LaShonda Hulbert , Richard Lusk , Peng Ng Boon
Published: July 2020

Background: Systematic Reviews (SR), studies of studies, use a formal process to evaluate the quality of scientific literature and determine ensuing effectiveness from qualifying articles to establish consensus findings around a hypothesis. Their value is increasing as the conduct and publication of research and evaluation has expanded and the process of identifying key insights becomes more time consuming. Text analytics and Machine Learning (ML) techniques may help overcome this problem of scale while still maintaining the level of rigor expected of SRs.Methods: In this article, we discuss an approach that uses existing examples of SRs to build and test a method for assisting the SR title and abstract pre-screening by reducing the initial pool of potential articles down to articles that meet inclusion criteria. Our approach differs from previous approaches to using ML as a SR tool in that it incorporates ML configurations guided by previously conducted SRs, and human confirmation on ML predictions of relevant articles during multiple iterative reviews on smaller tranches of citations. We applied the tailored method to a new SR review effort to validate performance.Results: The case study test of the approach proved a sensitivity (recall) in finding relevant articles during down selection that may rival many traditional processes.Conclusions: We believe this iterative method can help overcome bias in initial ML model training by having humans reinforce ML models with new and relevant information, and is an applied step towards transfer learning for ML in SR.
Exploration of prognostic factors for critical COVID-19 patients：a nomogram analysis
Authors: Wang Lili , Liu Chun , Wang Zhengquan , Lin Yi , Fan Rui
Published: July 2020

To discuss influencing factors on critical COVID-19 patient’s prognosis, construct a basic model and predict their mortality risks. Retrospectively analyzed the general condition and respective laboratory biomarkers of critical patients with duration≥24 h from Feb. 10th, 2020 to Mar. 30th, 2020 to separate them into a survival group and death group based on their clinical features. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to assess risk factors for critical COVID-19 patient’s and a nomogram was constructed based on screened risk factors. A receiver operating curve (ROC) was created to evaluate the accuracy of the nomogram. Multi-factor Logistic recovery analysis results show: Age, Peripheral blood leucocyte count,Lymphocyte percentage, Thrombocyte count and Hyper C-reactive protein are single danger factors of critical COVID-19 patient’s mortality risk (p＜0.05). ROC curve indicates Nomogram predictive model AUC is 0.958 (95%CI: 0.923-0.993), which has high predictive value. Findings from this study suggest advanced age, high peripheral blood leucocyte count, high hyper C-reactive protein, low lymphocyte percentage and low thrombocyte count are risk factors of critical COVID-19 patient’s death.The Nomogram model is helpful for timely intervention to reduce the incidence of critical COVID-19 patients.
Molecular Docking Studies of SARS-Cov-2 Mainprotease Potential Inhibitors
Authors: Utami Wiji , Fitriani Ika Nur , Aziz H A , Tanti Tanti , Santoso Pugoh
Published: July 2020

BACKGROUND : SARS-Cov-2 causes an coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and the vaccines or drugs of this disease have not been found to inhibit this replication of the virus. Researchers are engaged in all fields of study to discover new potential inhibitors. This study aimed to compute the binding energy (BE) and interactions between the new potential inhibitors and the SARS-Cov-2 Mainprotease (Mpro).METHODS: In this study, we docked between twenty-seven patented drugs and the Mpro receptor (PDB ID: 6W63). The molecular docking calculation was performed using AutoDock Tools 1.5.6. software. Moreover, the information about the biological activity of ligands was calculated using the PASS online server. The result of the calculation was then analyzed and visualized using Biovia Discovery Studio Visualizer. Further calculation, such as the ligand-protein interaction using STITCH database and Lipinski’s rule five were employed in this research.RESULTS: The molecular docking calculation results showed that nelfinavir was strongly bound to Mpro with BE of -9,51 kcal/mol, followed by lopinavir, vitamin D, ritonavir, and dexamethasone. From these ligands, we considered dexamethasone because this ligand works as an anti-inflammatory agent. CONCLUSIONS: Following the calculation, nelfinavir, lopinavir, and dexamethasone are proposed as a potential inhibitor of the Mpro receptor, but there is a need for further investigation.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Medical Interns Toward COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey, April-May 2020
Authors: ALNohair Sultan Fahad , Mahmud Ilias , ALShehri Fahad , ALShuqayran Rakan , ALBatanouni Manal
Published: July 2020

Background: COVID-19 is a highly infectious, rapidly spreading disease without any proven vaccine or treatment. Poor knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) toward COIVD-19 prevention measures among healthcare workers may lead to further transmission of the disease. Lack of attention towards non-frontline healthcare workers may put them at higher risk of infection from undetected cases. Here, we evaluate medical interns’ KAP toward COVID-19 prevention measures in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey. We distributed a structured questionnaire to the medical interns through different social media. Data was collected between April and May 2020. We estimated the prevalence of good KAP toward COVID-19 prevention measures. We did T-test or ANOVA to investigate the mean differences in KAP between socio-demographic groups. In addition, we did multivariable logistic regression analysis to investigate the socio-demographic determinants of good KAP.Results: Of the total 250 participants, 60% were males, 64% were aged between 20 and 25 years, and 90% was Saudi. 24% interns are relying on social media, newspaper, television or friends as primary source of COVID-19 information, while others are relying on formal sources like official websites of national and international bodies. Overall, the prevalence of good knowledge, attitude and practices are 38% (95% CI: 32.2-44.2), 55.2% (48.9-61.3) and 24% (19.1-29.7), respectively. Graduating from government universities are associated with higher odds of good knowledge (aOR: 3.87; 95% CI: 1.05-14.22) and positive attitude (aOR: 4.84; 95% CI: 1.28-18.23) than private or foreign universities. While, practicing in the west region-Mecca and Medina (aOR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.05-5.23); and the North region-Hail, Jouf, Tabuk & Northern borders (aOR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.32-7.75) are associated to higher odds of moderate/good practice compared to practicing in the central region- Riyadh and Qassim. Conclusions: Our findings reveal gaps in KAP among medical interns. Medical interns in Saudi Arabia are not deployed as front-line health worker to combat COVID-19. However, community transmission of COVID-19 make it critical to improve KAP of medical interns toward COVID-19 prevention measures. Repeated training to improve KAP and competency of the medical interns in this regard are warranted.
Workplace Mobbing and the Role of Human Resources Management
Authors: Mujtaba Bahaudin G. , Senathip Tipakorn
Published: July 2020

Workplace mobbing and bullying are the most pressing and urgent problems which employees, managers, and executives of most businesses can face in their day-to-day activities. The HR managers are responsible for the effectiveness of the processes in the workplace management and for protecting employees from unfair harassment and humiliation. The systematization of literary sources enabled us to make conclusions that the most common forms of workplace mobbing include the spreading of malicious gossip aimed at ridiculing and bullying the victim in a department or organization. It is quite often that gossip is a malicious tool for distorting personal information that has nothing to do with the victim’s professional competence. In an extreme case, such humiliations may be distributed beyond the office or scope of the employee’s activity. The purpose of the research is to investigate various forms of workplace mobbing as well as its impact on employees, their ability to work in a team, and their effective operation in the company. The article substantiates the role of the HR department in controlling workplace mobbing, the primary function of which is to support the organization’s ability to always improve its work efficiency. Given their job responsibilities, HR managers should focus on the legal, ethical, and socially responsible aspects of the company on the implementation of the policy, which forms team relationships due to the principles of mutual respect and dignity under conditions of an inclusive work environment. Besides, managers can take measures to identify, prevent, and effectively resolve daily differences and conflicts promptly. The purpose of these activities is to help employees behave properly, rationally, and professionally, objectively adhering to policies and instructions, thereby creating a supportive workplace environment. The results of the research can be useful for HR managers to make sure all employees can work in a safe and healthy work environment.

Keywords: workplace mobbing, mobbing, bullying, harassment, HR management, stonewalling, violence.
Leadership Models and Leadership Styles as Success Factors in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Authors: Thomas Georg
Published: July 2020

Under conditions of the population aging, one of the most pressing and urgent problems for company management is the retirement of most administrative staff over the next few years. At the same time, the majority of the young working-age population brings into question the current management practices in companies, considering the work primarily as a way of ensuring their livelihoods. There is a large proportion of the population who believe that work should bring joy, pleasure, and be open to creative activity. It leads to a shift in small and medium-sized companies (SME) from traditional management models to those adapted to modern labor market requirements. It is considered that the advertising brochures and websites of many small and medium-sized enterprises have recently mentioned a standard management style when announcing a vacancy notice. As for the employees, the presence of joint management is considered as “the most important property of the company”, while most managers treat the formation of this management style with a high degree of formality and conventionality. This article investigates the problems of trade companies in the context of the creation and implementation of labor-management policies. These challenges are widely described and discussed in the world of scientific literature, predominantly by the example of other industries, leading to inconsistencies in the conditions and features of its application in the trade sector. According to an empirical approach based on expert interviews, major leadership issues were identified. Experts stressed the fact that while struggling for skilled personnel, the companies face new challenges when the younger generation of employees emerges in the labor market. These workers require a more transformational approach to leadership than that one, which exists today. The reasons for this situation are the promotion of highly qualified specialists to executive positions. Thus, these vacancies are often replaced by those who earned it the most, being an excellent employee, but lack managerial skills.

Keywords: demographic trend, leadership styles, RIASEC model, small and medium-sized enterprises, transformational leadership, general management.
Mediating Effects of Stakeholders and Supervision on Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors: Wang Fenghua , Lo Janice , Lam Monica
Published: July 2020

The deficit of mineral resources, the aggravation of environmental problems in the world, the decrease in non-renewable resources determined the increasing role of the responsibility of enterprises for the direct and indirect impact on the economic, environmental and social systems of their functioning. The systematization of scientific work in the field of corporate social responsibility showed the lack of comprehensive studies concerning the nature and strength of the impact of direct and latent factors on enterprises’ compliance with the principles of corporate social responsibility. In this research study, we hypothesized that the common contributing factors for corporate social responsibility benefits in the literature such as institutional pressures, market/societal pressures, and structural support are mediated by the factors of stakeholder influence and supervision effect. The data from an empirical survey of 334 corporate executives were collected to test our hypotheses of mediating effects. The partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach was used to test the 11 hypotheses from the research model. The research model is statistically significant with an explanatory power of R2 = 0.468 for the dependent variable CSR benefits. The statistical results show that the direct effects of the three common contributing factors to CSR are not significant. All the standardized path coefficients (β) of direct effects from institutional pressures, market/societal pressures, and structural support to corporate social responsibility benefits are less than 0.1. On the other hand, their effects are significant through the mediating factors of stakeholder influence and supervision. If we characterize stakeholder influence as words and supervision effect as deeds, then words are more significant than deeds (the path coefficient from supervision effect to corporate social responsibility benefits is 0.243, while from stakeholder influence to corporate social responsibility benefits is 0.443). Moreover, if we characterize external pressures as a stick and structural support as carrot, our research results show that stick (0.413 for market/societal pressures, 0.387 for institutional pressures) is more significant than the carrot (0.115) in effectuating corporate social responsibility benefits.

Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, Stakeholders, Supervision, Mediating Effect, Factors of Influence.
“Take a Knee” Protests in Professional Sports: An Empirical Study about the Influence on Customer Loyalty to Nike in Germany
Authors: Giebe Carsten , Löffler Lana , Schneider Sandra
Published: July 2020

The article deals with the research of opportunities and prospects to use “Take a knee” protest in professional sports for Nike marketing purposes in terms of influencing customer loyalty to that brand. The action “Take a knee” became widely known in 2016, when the coloured quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, Colin Kaepernick, knelt in protest while singing the national anthem of the United States of America before several games to denounce police violence against blacks and coloured people. In 2017 the European community for professional sports firstly supported that action, when Hertha BSC’s Bundesliga team went down on their knees before the kick-off of a Bundesliga game to demonstrate for diversity, tolerance and responsibility. Since Hertha BSC is equipped with the sporting goods of Nike manufacturer, the article suggested and tested the hypothesis that “Take a knee” could have an impact on customer loyalty growth to the Nike brand. The systematization of the relevant literature sources and approaches to study the demand for sports goods indicates the lack of comprehensive research on the analysis regarding the impact of the atypical advertising measures on consumer behaviour. Based on the systematization of literary sources, the article identifies the controversy of marketing activities with people who engage in politics. Furthermore, the article defines the moral role of individual athletes or teams of different sports using the example of American football and football (also known as soccer). The methodological basis of the study was analytical and comparative methods, methods of analysis, synthesis, and logical generalization. The paper presents the results of an empirical analysis based on a survey of potential customers of sporting goods in Germany in early 2020 with a sample size of 135 respondents. The authors substantiate the importance of continuous and systematic work by the advertising companies aimed at attracting famous people who are politically engaged in advertising companies as a guarantee of increasing customer loyalty. The results of the study can be useful for both business and advertising companies in terms of the choice of marketing communication tools between manufacturer and customer.

Keywords: advertising, business ethics, competitiveness, customer loyalty, marketing, Nike, sport and politics, Take a Knee.