bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Penalized Spline-Involved Tree-based (PenSIT) Learning for estimating an optimal dynamic treatment regime using observational data
Authors: Speth Kelly A , Elliott Michael R , Marquez Juan L , Wang Lu
Published: October 2022

Dynamic treatment regimes are a set of time-adaptive decision rules that can be used to personalize treatment across multiple stages of care. Grounded in causal inference methods, dynamic treatment regimes identify variables that differentiate the treatment effect and may be used to tailor treatments across individuals based on the patient’s own characteristics – thereby representing an important step toward personalized medicine. In this manuscript we introduce Penalized Spline-Involved Tree-based Learning, which seeks to improve upon existing tree-based approaches to estimating an optimal dynamic treatment regime. Instead of using weights determined from the estimated propensity scores, which may result in unstable estimates when weights are highly variable, we predict missing counterfactual outcomes using regression models that incorporate a penalized spline of the propensity score and other covariates predictive of the outcome. We further develop a novel purity measure applied within a decision tree framework to produce a flexible yet interpretable method for estimating an optimal multi-stage multi-treatment dynamic treatment regime. In simulation experiments we demonstrate good performance of Penalized Spline-Involved Tree-based Learning relative to competing methods and, in particular, we show that Penalized Spline-Involved Tree-based Learning may be advantageous when the sample size is small and/or when the level of confounding of the outcome is high. We apply Penalized Spline-Involved Tree-based Learning to the retrospectively-collected Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care dataset to identify variables that may be used to tailor early fluid resuscitation strategies in septic patients.
Unsuccessful Equity Crowdfunding Offerings and the Persistence in Equity Fundraising of Family Business Start-Ups
Authors: Rossi Alice , Vanacker Tom , Vismara Silvio
Published: October 2022

Little is known about what happens after an unsuccessful equity crowdfunding campaign. Taking a socioemotional wealth perspective, we hypothesize that family business start-ups are more likely to eventually still raise equity financing relative to nonfamily business start-ups. Moreover, while family business start-ups are initially less likely to provide voting rights, we hypothesize that they are more likely to offer shares with voting rights after an unsuccessful campaign. Using data on the UK equity crowdfunding market, we find support for our hypotheses. This study adds novel insights into the nexus between equity crowdfunding and family business literature.
Impact of COVID-19 on the Prescribing Pattern of Oral Anticoagulants for Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Brochu Dannick , St-Arnaud Amélie , Marchand Louis-Étienne , Voisine Pierre , Méthot Julie
Published: October 2022

Background:

Because of logistic challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) were favored over warfarin in patients presenting postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardiac surgery in our institution. Considering the limited evidence supporting the use of DOAC in this context, we sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this practice change.

Methods:

A retrospective study was performed with patients from the Quebec City metropolitan area who were hospitalized at the Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec-Université Laval following cardiac surgery and who required oral anticoagulant (OAC) for postoperative AF. The primary objective was to compare the pre- and peri-COVID-19 period for OAC prescribing patterns and the incidence of thrombotic and bleeding events at 3 months post-surgery. The secondary objective was to compare DOAC to warfarin in terms of thrombotic events and bleeding events.

Results:

A total of 233 patients were included, 142 from the pre-COVID-19 and 91 from the peri-COVID-19 period, respectively. Both groups had equivalent proportions of preoperative AF (48%) and new-onset postoperative AF (52%). The proportion of patients treated with a DOAC increased from 13% pre-COVID-19 to 82% peri-COVID-19. This change in practice was not associated with a significant difference in the incidence of thrombotic or bleeding events 3 months postoperatively. However, compared to DOAC, warfarin was associated with a higher incidence of major bleeding. Only 1 thrombotic event was reported with warfarin, and none were reported with DOAC.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that DOAC are an effective and safe alternative to warfarin to treat postoperative AF after cardiac surgery and that this practice can be safely maintained.
Pediatric language assessments via telehealth: A systematic review
Authors: Alfano Alliete R , Concepcion Iliana , Espinosa Ashley , Menendez Faviana
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Assessment is crucial in the identification of children with potential delays/disorders and allows speech-language pathologists the opportunity to provide early intervention when indicated. For this reason, inaccessibility to formal assessments can be detrimental to the development and progression of overall communication skills for children with language disorders. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for increased telehealth services and how the provision of these remote services offers a much-needed alternative to face-to-face services for both clinicians and families.

Method

A systematic procedure involving online literature searches in four electronic databases was employed to identify studies for inclusion in this review. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) preschool or elementary pediatric participants, and (2) involve the delivery of language-based assessments via telehealth. Additionally, the search was limited to studies written in English, dated 2010 and newer, and published in peer-reviewed journals.

Results

The results of the systematic review showed there was no significant difference between standard scores and behavioral ratings for both face-to-face and telehealth assessments. The studies reviewed determined that telehealth delivery was feasible and presented adequate reliability with high levels of agreement between assessment scores obtained via telehealth and face-to-face.

Conclusion

Current research suggests that there is no significant difference between remote and face-to-face assessment administration. Additional research is needed to examine the feasibility and reliability of conducting language-based assessments via telehealth in bilingual children, children younger than four years of age, and in different environments, such as schools or clinics.
An evaluation of intervention research for transition-age autistic youth
Authors: Bottema-Beutel Kristen , LaPoint Shannon Crowley , Kim So Yoon , Mohiuddin Sarah , Yu Qun , McKinnon Rachael
Published: October 2022

In this systematic evaluation of intervention research for transition-age autistic youth, we examined quality indicators in 193 group and single-case design intervention studies, which tested effects on 1258 outcomes. Behaviorally based interventions were the most common intervention type. We found significant threats to internal validity for the majority of studies, including inadequate randomization, unmasked assessors, and too few data points to infer functional relations. The majority of outcomes were measured in contexts similar to the intervention and were conceptualized as behaviors directly addressed by intervention procedures. As such, they are of unclear long-term utility for autistic people entering adulthood. Adverse events were rarely reported. We suggest several avenues for improving intervention research for this age group.

Lay abstract

In this study, we assess the quality of intervention research that focuses on autistic youth who are 14–22 years old. We found 193 different studies on this topic, and carefully reviewed them. Most of these studies tested strategies that were behavioral. This means that they used procedures like prompting and rewards to change participants’ behavior. We found that the majority of studies had problems that make it hard to determine whether or not the intervention worked. The problems related to how researchers designed their studies, and how they measured the study outcomes. We also found that researchers rarely tried to find out if the strategies they studied had unintended negative effects for participants. Because of these issues, we make suggestions for how researchers might design better studies that will let people know how well the strategies worked.
Gender, doctorate holders, career path, and work–life balance within and outside of academia
Authors: Hjálmsdóttir Andrea , Rafnsdóttir Guðbjörg Linda
Published: October 2022

Research on satisfaction with work–life balance among doctorate holders is scarce when considering those working outside academia. In this article, we present research on work–life balance among female and male doctorate holders working within and outside academia, and examine how satisfied are they with their work–life balance, and the role of gender and career path in that satisfaction. We study the role of time and flexibility, and whether differences are found in career path among doctorate holders working within and outside academia. The findings, based on open-ended interviews with 32 doctorate holders in Iceland, indicate that the doctorate holders find it difficult to balance their work and family life and feel they are always in a rush. Nevertheless, the academics expressed more complex feelings about their daily lives than those outside academia, especially the women, as their flexible working arrangements allowed them to be always working meant they were always working.
Making soufflé with metal: Effects of the coronavirus pandemic on sports journalism practices
Authors: Velloso Carolina
Published: October 2022

The coronavirus pandemic significantly – and perhaps permanently – altered the ways by which we lead our personal and professional lives. Sports journalism is no exception – with the seasons of all kinds of sports modified, reduced or cancelled entirely in 2020, reporters on the sports beat had to quickly adapt to ever-changing circumstances. This exploratory study investigates the impact of the pandemic on the practices of sports beat writers during the 2020 season. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 12 beat writers covering teams in all four major North American sports leagues, this study reveals that the journalists’ experiences with the pandemic-imposed conditions underscored already-present trends within sports journalism: namely, a reduction of access to players and coaching due, in part, to increased team control through robust media relations divisions; journalists’ overreliance on official team sources; and a move towards feature and data- and analytics-driven stories. This study contributes to literature on sports journalism beat reporting and offers an early insight into how the pandemic conditions might help shape the future of the industry.
Assisting clients’ departure: On the multimodal organization of closings in social work
Authors: Monteiro David
Published: October 2022

Interactional closings constitute a crucial aspect of social interaction and, in social work practice, are organized around participants’ orientation to an asymmetrical distribution of tasks between professional and client, informed by a “dialectics of care and control.” Proceeding from a conversation analytic framework, and grounded on video recordings of encounters between social workers and clients in diverse institutional settings in Portugal, the present paper investigates how the routine of closing social work encounters is carried out through professionals’ and clients’ joint and progressive orientation toward bringing the encounter to an end, and examines some of the interactional and embodied practices mobilized by them for accomplishing this task. By providing a detailed analysis of participants’ audible and visible conduct and their interactional practices, this study shows how social workers orchestrate clients’ leave-taking through the concerted mobilization of linguistic, bodily and material resources, shedding light into how the dialectics of care and control are managed in the everyday exercise of social intervention.
Future direction of wound dressing research: Evidence From the bibliometric analysis
Authors: Ho Yuh-Shan , Sharmin Afsana Al , Islam Mohammad Tajul , Halim AFM Fahad
Published: October 2022

A bibliometric analysis based on the Science Citation Index Expanded database from 1991 to 2020 was performed to obtain insight into the future direction of wound dressing research. The study focused on the publication’s performance in terms of yearly outputs and citations, mainstream journals, categories of the Web of Sciences, top countries, leading institutions, trends in research, and hotspots. A summary of the most commonly used keywords extracted from words in the paper title analysis, authors’ keyword analysis, and KeyWords Plus analysis served as the foundation for determining current research priorities and future trends. The findings revealed that the annual output of the corresponding scholarly articles remained more or less the same during the first decade, followed by a rapid increase in the remaining period of the study. Tissue engineering would be the future of the existing wound dressing research. Biomaterials and electrospinning are gaining importance as raw materials and fabrication techniques for wound dressing. Advanced wound dressings with antimicrobial functionality and sustained drug release properties are becoming a popular research avenue in the wound dressing research field.
Compute Tomography Radiomics Analysis on Whole Pancreas Between Healthy Individual and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Patients: Uncertainty Analysis and Predictive Modeling
Authors: Wang Shuo , Lin Chi , Kolomaya Alexander , Ostdiek-Wille Garett P , Wong Jeffrey , Cheng Xiaoyue , Lei Yu , Liu Chang
Published: October 2022

Radiomics is a rapidly growing field that quantitatively extracts image features in a high-throughput manner from medical imaging. In this study, we analyzed the radiomics features of the whole pancreas between healthy individuals and pancreatic cancer patients, and we established a predictive model that can distinguish cancer patients from healthy individuals based on these radiomics features. Methods: We retrospectively collected venous-phase scans of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) images from 181 control subjects and 85 cancer case subjects for radiomics analysis and predictive modeling. An attending radiation oncologist delineated the pancreas for all the subjects in the Varian Eclipse system, and we extracted 924 radiomics features using PyRadiomics. We established a feature selection pipeline to exclude redundant or unstable features. We randomly selected 189 cases (60 cancer and 129 control) as the training set. The remaining 77 subjects (25 cancer and 52 control) as a test set. We trained a Random Forest model utilizing the stable features to distinguish the cancer patients from the healthy individuals on the training dataset. We analyzed the performance of our best model by running 5-fold cross-validations on the training dataset and applied our best model to the test set. Results: We identified that 91 radiomics features are stable against various uncertainty sources, including bin width, resampling, image transformation, image noise, and segmentation uncertainty. Eight of the 91 features are nonredundant. Our final predictive model, using these 8 features, has achieved a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.99 ± 0.01 on the training dataset (189 subjects) by cross-validation. The model achieved an AUC of 0.910 on the independent test set (77 subjects) and an accuracy of 0.935. Conclusion: CT-based radiomics analysis based on the whole pancreas can distinguish cancer patients from healthy individuals, and it could potentially become an early detection tool for pancreatic cancer.
The War on Drugs Turns 50
Authors: Campbell Emily B.
Published: October 2022

A discussion of major developments since the war on drugs launched in 1971 including mass incarceration, the overdose crisis, and the Mexican drug war. Challenges are described and solutions considered.
Ecos, Ethnos, and Fascism
Authors: Bryant Jesse Callahan
Published: October 2022

In many documents left behind by recent white domestic terrorists we see the re-emergence of a national identity that fuses people and land. From Christchurch to El Paso, old articulations "the people" which came to a head most famously in the Nazi sense of the volk and the politics of blood and soil are today resurfacing. This article traces the broad contours of this politics that fuses ethnos and ecos in order to morally justify political exclusion, genocide, and today terrorism via mass shooting.
Lifestyle Medicine: An Antidote to Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Reddy Koushik R. , Freeman Andrew M.
Published: October 2022

Despite numerous advances in basic understanding of cardiovascular disease pathophysiology, pharmacology, therapeutic procedures, and systems improvement, there hasn’t been much decline in heart disease related mortality in the US since 2010. Hypertension and diet induced risk continue to be the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity. Even with the excessive mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020, heart disease remained the leading cause of death. Given the degree of disease burden, morbidity, and mortality, there is an urgent need to redirect medical professionals’ focus towards prevention through simple and cost effective lifestyle strategies. However, current practice paradigm and financial compensation systems are mainly centered disease management and not health promotion. For example, the financial value placed on 3–10 min smoking cessation counseling (.24RVUs) is 47-fold lower than an elective PCI (11.21 RVUs). The medical community seems to be enamored with the latest and greatest technology, new devices, and surgical procedures. What if the greatest technology of all was simply the way we live every day? Perhaps when this notion is known by enough, we will switch to this lifestyle medicine technology to prevent disease in the first place.
Anti-inflammatory activity of ingredients from the heartwood of Vietnamese Dalbergia oliveri Gamble ex Prain
Authors: Nhan Ngu Truong , Nguyen Phi Hung , Hanh Dam Thi Bich , My Dang Thi Thuy , Nguyen Nguyen Phuong Dai , Phong Truong Ba , Huong Nguyen Thi Mai , Tran Manh Hung , Tram Nguyen Thị Thu , To Dao Cuong
Published: October 2022

Objectives: To investigate the phytochemical constituents of Vietnamese Dalbergia oliveri and their inhibition of NO production. Methods: The ethyl acetate soluble fraction was subjected to column chromatography using silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 to isolate compounds. The chemical structures of isolated compounds were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance data and comparison with previously reported literature. The anti-inflammation effects of the isolated compounds on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells were measured using the Griess reaction. Results: Nine secondary metabolites (1−9) were isolated successfully from the heartwood of D. oliveri. The chemical structures of these compounds were identified as daidzein (1), formononetin (2), 3,7-dihydroxy-4′-methoxyflavone (3), liquiritigenin (4), 3′-methoxydaidzein (5), dalbergin (6), butin (7), sativanone (8), and isoliquiritigenin (9). This is the first time that compounds 1, 3, 5−8 have been isolated from D. oliveri. In the NO production inhibition, compounds 7 and 9 exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 7.6 and 11.2 μM, respectively, followed by 3−6, with IC50 values from 19.6 to 28.7 μM. Conclusion: The results suggested that D. oliveri and its natural products might exert anti-inflammatory effects due to their NO-inhibiting actions.
The role of early childhood pedagogical leaders in schools: Leading change for ongoing improvement
Authors: Fabry Amie , Barblett Lennie , Knaus Marianne
Published: October 2022

Early childhood pedagogical practice in primary schools is often challenged by academic demands, debate about best practice and ongoing change through new policy initiatives. This paper reports an investigation of how early childhood pedagogical leaders assist early years teachers in schools to embrace change and embed early childhood pedagogy. Framed within a constructivist epistemology, this paper reports on findings from three case studies drawn from a larger mixed-methods study from Perth, Western Australia. Data collected through shadowing pedagogical leaders, undertaking contextual interviews and analysing school documents revealed that pedagogical change was promoted, encouraged and sustained through a number of strategies. These included utilising early childhood champions, developing relational trust with staff, establishing communities of practice and empowering teachers as decision-makers. This paper highlights the critical role early childhood pedagogical leadership can play in recognising the professional capability of early childhood teachers to drive ongoing improvement in school contexts.
A case of initially metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma of parotid gland
Authors: Ko Sungchul , Park Kye Hoon , Lee Ji-Hye , Park Ki Nam
Published: October 2022

Metastasis of pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is rare and usually presented as a locoregional recurrence developed many years after excision of the primary tumor although the PA is the most common neoplasm in the parotid gland. We described a case of a 48-year-old male with a parotid tumor with multiple enlarged ipsilateral lymph nodes which suggested a malignancy. The tumors had been neither evaluated nor excised and preoperative evaluation revealed benign PA in both lesions. After the complete surgical excision, the final pathology was notable for benign PA with metastasis to regional lymph nodes. At 1 year follow up he was clinically and radiographically free of disease. This implies that pleomorphic adenoma can occur as initially metastasis to regional lymph node even though benign neoplasm.
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission screening among pregnant women in southern Ethiopia from the perspective of the current WHO recommendation
Authors: Dune Abebe , Rad Mulugeta Hailu , Wude Habtamu
Published: October 2022

Objective:

The aim of this study was to assess HIV screening for prevention of mother-to-child transmission service utilization and associated factors among pregnant women in Hadiya zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Methods:

The study was conducted in a community setting and was cross-sectional with a multistage sampling technique. A total of 613 women were selected randomly from 29 kebeles (the smallest administrative unit next to the district). Data were collected using a standardized interviewer-administered questionnaire. After being coded, reviewed, and entered into Epi-data, the data were exported to SPSS Version 21. Frequencies, percentages, graphs, and means and standard deviations were used to show descriptive data. In bivariate analysis, a p-value of 0.25 was utilized to identify candidate variables for multivariable logistic regression analysis. The statistical significance level was established at 0.05, and the strength of the association was measured using an adjusted odds ratio.

Results:

A total of 613 pregnant women out of 630 who were eligible, were included in our study. Among them, 276 (45%; 95% CI: 41.1–48.8) were tested for HIV. HIV screening was associated with secondary and higher maternal educational level (AOR = 5.01, 95% CI: (3.08–8.16)), number of antenatal care visits four and higher (AOR = 4.25, 95% CI: 2.41–7.51), distance from health facility (AOR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.24–3.101), and male partner involvement (AOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.31–2.69).

Conclusion:

Less than half of the pregnant women included in our study had been tested for HIV; which was quite lower than the national requirement that every pregnant woman be tested during a visit. Only those who had a higher level of education, who regularly took antenatal care, who were not far away from the health facility, and whose partner was involved in antenatal care, were more susceptible to being tested. Thus, actions such as female education and increasing accessibility of the service should be prioritized.
Health workers’ experience of a digital health intervention implemented in peri-urban communities in Karachi, Pakistan
Authors: Haider Kaniz Amna , Gulam Omar , Adamjee Rehan , Balouch Benazir , Hoodbhoy Zahra
Published: October 2022

Objective

Digital health interventions (DHIs) have the potential to improve access and quality of care in low-middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to assess the acceptability, usability and aesthetics of a DHI by frontline workers in peri-urban community settings in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods

A mixed-methods study was carried out in peri-urban field sites in Karachi, Pakistan, where maternal and childcare services are provided through front-line care providers using a DHI. These workers include community health workers, midwives, and physicians who were using the DHI for at least six months. For quantitative data, a questionnaire regarding the module design and interface, technical difficulty, and appropriate utilisation was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. For qualitative data, focus group discussions (FGDs) based on experiences regarding operability, design, its effect on work efficiency and the provision of beneficial health services were conducted.

Results

There were 93 respondents for the quantitative questionnaire who reported high satisfaction (>85%) with the DHI in many themes including content quality, aesthetics and ease of use. Participants were least satisfied with service quality (45% satisfaction only) due to issues related to data sync and network connections in these areas. During the FGDs, the workers stated that the DHI helped them with accessing previous data and providing quality health care services to the community.

Conclusion

Although frontline workers reported a few technical difficulties while using the DHI, the majority reported that it was acceptable, had user-friendly features and was beneficial in their work processes.
The Influence of Location Decisions on the Performance of Women-owned Small and Medium scale Enterprises in Nigeria
Authors: Nwokocha Victor Chukwunweike
Published: October 2022

The importance of location decisions has been assessed vigorously by a number of studies but these studies have not been able to examine the impact of this variable on the performance of Women-owned small and medium scale enterprises (WSMEs). This paper examined the influence of location decision on the performance of WSMEs. The study adopted a quantitative approach and used a number of methods such as field observations, reference to relevant literature and a questionnaire survey of 58 WSMEs for the study. The study used principal component analysis (PCA), simple mean and standard deviation to analyze the data. The result of the study showed that 41.10% and 29.14 of the WSMEs had experienced a significant increase and relative increase in the performance of their enterprises based on their location while 14.59% of the respondents had not experienced changes in the performance of their enterprises. The PCA result also showed that availability of traditional/economic factors of location (24.97%), infrastructural (21.32%), agglomeration and economies of scale (12.38%), personal interest (9.50%), and Government policy (8.06) were the factors that influenced the location of WSMEs in the study. Location is therefore, an important variable in citing WSMEs.
Strengthening Professional Values of Doctoral-Level Nursing Students
Authors: Hampton Debra , Heath Janie , Rayens Mary Kay
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Multiple recent critical societal/world events have impacted nurses' beliefs and emphasized the importance of the standards of behavior that frame nurses' professional values.

Objectives

This study focused on the professional values of students in a Doctor of Nursing program (DNP), including the relationship between professional values, time in program, and intentions to participate in professionalism-focused activities.

Methods

From fall 2019 through Spring 2021, 227 participants were invited to participate in this study through the completion of an online survey at several points in time. The survey contained various demographic variables, items from the Nurses Professional Values Scale-3 representing the dimensions of caring, activism, and professionalism, and Likert scale items that measured intentions to participate in professionalism-focused activities.

Results

The overall mean NPVS-3 score was 118.30 (out of a possible range of 28–140). The highest mean score among the three dimensions was for caring (45.38), followed by activism (40.20) and then professionalism (32.71). Students indicated high intentions to participate in activities focused on professionalism (5.77 on a scale of 1 to 7). A moderate correlation between intentions and professionalism ( r = .44, p < .0001) was noted. The association of intentions to caring and activism was weaker but significant ( r = 0.26; p = .012 ) and ( r = 0.37; p = .0003), respectively.

Conclusion

DNP curricular efforts can strengthen nurses' professional values by focusing on the development of critically important professional attributes. Nurses, especially those who have a doctoral-level education, need to have strong professional values and understand the importance of their voice and impact as a leader in the profession.
The evolutionary history and ancestral biogeographic range estimation of old-world Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae (Chiroptera)
Authors: Chornelia Ada , Hughes Alice Catherine
Published: October 2022

Background

Family Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats), Hipposideridae (leaf-nosed bats) and Rhinonycteridae (trident bats) are exclusively distributed in the Old-World, and their biogeography reflects the complex historic geological events throughout the Cenozoic. Here we investigated the origin of these families and unravel the conflicting family origin theories using a high resolution tree covering taxa from each zoogeographic realm from Africa to Australia. Ancestral range estimations were performed using a probabilistic approach implemented in BioGeoBEARS with subset analysis per biogeographic range [Old-World as whole, Australia–Oriental–Oceania (AOO) and Afrotropical–Madagascar–Palearctic (AMP)].

Result

Our result supports an Oriental origin for Rhinolophidae, whereas Hipposideridae originated from the Oriental and African regions in concordance with fossil evidence of both families. The fossil evidence indicates that Hipposideridae has diversified across Eurasia and the Afro-Arabian region since the Middle Eocene. Meanwhile, Rhinonycteridae (the sister family of Hipposideridae) appears to have originated from the Africa region splitting from the common ancestor with Hipposideridae in Africa. Indomalaya is the center of origin of Rhinolophidae AOO lineages, and Indomalayan + Philippines appears to be center of origin of Hipposideridae AOO lineage indicating allopatric speciation and may have involved jump-dispersal (founder-event) speciation within AOO lineage. Wallacea and the Philippines may have been used as stepping stones for dispersal towards Oceania and Australia from the Oriental region. Multiple colonization events via different routes may have occurred in the Philippines (i.e., Palawan and Wallacea) since the Late Miocene. The colonization of Rhinolophidae towards Africa from Asia coincided with the estimated time of Tethys Ocean closure around the Oligocene to Miocene (around 27 Ma), allowing species to disperse via the Arabian Peninsula. Additionally, the number of potential cryptic species in Rhinolophidae in Southeast Asia may have increased since Plio-Pleistocene and late Miocene.

Conclusion

Overall, we conclude an Oriental origin for Rhinolophidae, and Oriental + African for Hipposideridae. The result demonstrates that complex historical events, in addition to species specific ecomorphology and specialization of ecological niches may shape current distributions.
Hospital outcomes for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension in sepsis and septic shock
Authors: Vasudeva Rhythm , Challa Abhiram , Tuck Nicholas , Pothuru Suveeenkrishna , Vindhyal Mohinder
Published: October 2022

Background

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality risk. The risk for adverse outcomes in patients with PAH in sepsis or septic shock (SSS) is uncertain.

Methods

Adult patients diagnosed with SSS were identified in the National Readmissions Database over the years 2016–2017. A 2:1 ratio nearest propensity matching method was employed for several demographic, social, and clinical variables. In-hospital outcomes were compared between patients with PAH and those without, using t-test and chi-squared test as appropriate. Patients with cardiogenic shock were excluded. Relevant ICD-10 codes were used, and statistical significance was set at 0.05.

Results

A total of 1,134 patients with PAH and sepsis/septic shock were identified, with a mean age of 65 years and 67% identifying as females. Patients with PAH had a higher prevalence of some chronic conditions, including chronic pulmonary disease, renal failure, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, obesity, coagulation disease. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and alcohol use was lower in this cohort. After matching, patients with PAH and SSS, when compared to those with SSS and without PAH, had an increased occurrence of acute heart failure (24.1% vs. 19.6%, p = 0.003), amongst clinical outcomes. The differences in the occurrence of death, vasopressor use, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, acute myocardial infarction, acute kidney injury, and stroke outcomes were not statistically different between the two groups. Patients with PAH, however, had a longer hospital stay (13.5 days vs. 10.9 days, p < 0.001) and hospital costs ($164,252 vs. $129,185, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Patients with PAH have worse outcomes for acute heart failure in sepsis or septic shock. Other mortality and morbidity outcomes are not statistically different. PAH is also associated with a longer hospital stay and increased hospital costs. These findings should be interpreted recognizing the inclusion of patients with re-admissions and the administrative nature of the database.
Relationship between body composition and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Gao Lei , Zhang Ping , Wang Yan , Zhang Wei , Zhao Jian , Liu Ying , Liu Jing , He Shaoqiang
Published: October 2022

Background

The aim of the study were to analyze the lumbar volumetric bone mineral density (BMD), fat distribution and changes of skeletal muscle with quantitative computed tomography (QCT) in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to evaluate the relationship between body composition and BMD.

Methods

One hundred seventy-seven postmenopausal women with T2DM and 136 postmenopausal women without diabetes were included in the study and were divided into two groups according to age, 50–65 years age group and over 65 years of age group. The lumbar BMD (L1-L3), visceral fat mass (VFM), visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat mass (SFM), subcutaneous fat area (SFA), psoas major mass (PMM) and psoas major area (PMA) of each group were compared. Univariable and multivariable linear regression analysis were used to analyze the contribution of each variable to BMD in postmenopausal women with T2DM.

Results

In women aged 50–65, the patients in the T2DM group had higher body mass index (BMI), VFM, VFA, and SFM (p < 0.05), compared with non-T2DM group. Over 65 years old, the BMI, BMD, VFM, VFA, and SFM was found to be much higher in participants with T2DM than in non-T2DM group (p < 0.05). Compared with women aged in 50–65 years old, those over 65 years old had higher VFA and VFM and lower BMD (p < 0.05), whether in the T2DM group or the non-T2DM group. Age, VFA and VFM were negatively correlated with BMD (r = -0.590, p ≤ 0.001; r = -0.179, p = 0.017; r = -0.155, p = 0.040, respectively). After adjusting for age, VFM and VFA were no longer correlated with BMD. No correlations between fat distribution or psoas major muscle and BMD in postmenopausal women with T2DM were observed.

Conclusions

T2DM can affect abdominal fat deposition in postmenopausal women. Postmenopausal elderly women with diabetes have higher BMD than normal elderly women. There was no correlation between fat distribution or psoas major and BMD in postmenopausal women with diabetes mellitus.
Exploring the protective mechanism of baicalin in treatment of atherosclerosis using endothelial cells deregulation model and network pharmacology
Authors: Li Mingshuang , Ren Conglin
Published: October 2022

Background

Baicalin is a generally available flavonoid with potent biological activity. The present study aimed to assess the underlying mechanism of baicalin in treatment of atherosclerosis (AS) with the help of network pharmacology, molecular docking and experimental validation.

Methods

The target genes of baicalin and AS were identified from public databases, and the overlapping results were considered to be baicalin-AS targets. Core target genes of baicalin were obtained through the PPI network and validated by a clinical microarray dataset (GSE132651). Human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were treated with Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to construct an endothelial injury model. The expression of NOX4 was examined by real-time qPCR and western blot. Flow cytometry was used to detect intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, HAECs were transfected with NOX4-specific siRNA and then co-stimulated with baicalin and LPS to investigate whether NOX4 was involved in the anti-oxidative stress effects of baicalin.

Results

In this study, baicalin had 45 biological targets against AS. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that most targets were involved in oxidative stress. Using the CytoHubba plug-in, we obtained the top 10 genes in the PPI network ranked by the EPC algorithm. Molecular docking and microarray dataset validation indicated that NOX4 may be an essential target of baicalin, and its expression was significantly suppressed in AS samples compared to controls. In endothelial injury model, intervention of HAECs with baicalin increased the expression levels of NOX4 and NOS3 (eNOS), and decreased LPS-induced ROS generation. After inhibition of NOX4, the anti-ROS-generating effect of baicalin was abolished.

Conclusion

Collectively, we combined network pharmacology and endothelial injury models to investigate the anti-AS mechanism of baicalin. The results demonstrate that baicalin may exert anti-oxidative stress effects by targeting NOX4, providing new mechanisms and insights to baicalin for the treatment of AS.
Effects of curcumin and/or coenzyme Q10 supplementation on metabolic control in subjects with metabolic syndrome: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Sangouni Abbas Ali , Taghdir Maryam , Mirahmadi Javad , Sepandi Mojtaba , Parastouei Karim
Published: October 2022

Background

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) as a cluster of conditions including hyperlipidemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and abdominal obesity is linked to cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Evidence suggested that intake of curcumin and coenzyme Q10 may have therapeutic effects in the management of MetS.

Aims

We investigated the effects of curcumin and/or coenzyme Q10 supplementation on metabolic syndrome components including systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), waist circumference (WC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) as primary outcomes, and total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) and body mass index (BMI) as secondary outcomes in subjects with MetS.

Methods

In this 2 × 2 factorial, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, 88 subjects with MetS were randomly assigned into four groups including curcumin plus placebo (CP), or coenzyme Q10 plus placebo (QP), or curcumin plus coenzyme Q10 (CQ), or double placebo (DP) for 12 weeks.

Results

The CP group compared with the three other groups showed a significant reduction in HDL-c (P = 0.001), TG (P <  0.001), TC (P <  0.001), and LDL-c (P <  0.001). No significant differences were seen between the four groups in terms of SBP, DBP, FPG, WC, BMI and weight.

Conclusion

Curcumin improved dyslipidemia, but had no effect on body composition, hypertension and glycemic control. Furthermore, coenzyme Q10 as well as the combination of curcumin and coenzyme Q10 showed no therapeutic effects in subjects with MetS. The trial was registered on 09/21/2018 at the Iranian clinical trials website (IRCT20180201038585N2), URL: https://www.irct.ir/trial/32518.
Does early life exposure to exogenous sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase the risk of respiratory and allergic diseases in children? A longitudinal cohort study
Authors: To Teresa , Terebessy Emilie , Zhu Jingqin , Zhang Kimball , Lakey Pascale SJ , Shiraiwa Manabu , Hatzopoulou Marianne , Minet Laura , Weichenthal Scott , Dell Sharon , Stieb Dave
Published: October 2022

Background

Excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) can cause oxidative stress damaging cells and tissues, leading to adverse health effects in the respiratory tract. Yet, few human epidemiological studies have quantified the adverse effect of early life exposure to ROS on child health. Thus, this study aimed to examine the association of levels of ROS exposure at birth and the subsequent risk of developing common respiratory and allergic diseases in children.

Methods

1,284 Toronto Child Health Evaluation Questionnaire (T-CHEQ) participants were followed from birth (born between 1996 and 2000) until outcome, March 31, 2016 or loss-to-follow-up. Using ROS data from air monitoring campaigns and land use data in Toronto, ROS concentrations generated in the human respiratory tract in response to inhaled pollutants were estimated using a kinetic multi-layer model. These ROS values were assigned to participants’ postal codes at birth. Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusted for confounders, were then used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) per unit increase in interquartile range (IQR).

Results

After adjusting for confounders, iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) were not significantly associated with the risk of asthma, allergic rhinitis, nor eczema. However, ROS, a measure of the combined impacts of Fe and Cu in PM2.5, was associated with an increased risk of asthma (HR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02–1.21, p < 0.02) per IQR. There were no statistically significant associations of ROS with allergic rhinitis (HR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.88–1.04, p = 0.35) and eczema (HR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.98–1.09, p = 0.24).

Conclusion

These findings showed that ROS exposure in early life significantly increased the childhood risk of asthma, but not allergic rhinitis and eczema.
Circ_0000808 promotes the development of non-small cell lung cancer by regulating glutamine metabolism via the miR-1827/SLC1A5 axis
Authors: Cai Yong , Dong Zhiyi , Wang Jiying
Published: October 2022

Background

Circular RNA (circRNA) has been proved to be an important molecular target for cancer treatment. However, the function and molecular mechanism of circ_0000808 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are still unclear.

Methods

Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of circ_0000808, miR-1827, and solute carrier family 1 member 5 (SLC1A5). Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were measured by cell counting kit 8 assay, colony formation assay, EdU staining, flow cytometry, wound healing assay, and transwell assay. The protein expression was measured by Western blot analysis. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and RIP assay were used to investigate the interactions between miR-1827 and circ_0000808 or SLC1A5. Cell glutamine metabolism was assessed by determining glutamine uptake, glutamate production, and α-ketoglutarate production. Xenograft mouse model was used to assess the in vivo effects of circ_0000808.

Results

Circ_0000808 expression was upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cancer cells, and its silencing inhibited NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and led to apoptosis. Further results confirmed that circ_0000808 interacted with miR-1827 to positively regulate SLC1A5. The rescue experiments showed that miR-1827 inhibitor reversed the suppressive effect of circ_0000808 knockdown on the malignant behaviors of NSCLC cells. Also, SLC1A5 overexpression abolished the inhibition effect of miR-1827 on NSCLC cell progression. In addition, circ_0000808/miR-1827/SLC1A5 axis positively regulated the glutamine metabolism process in NSCLC cells. Moreover, circ_0000808 knockdown reduced the NSCLC tumor growth in vivo.

Conclusion

In summary, our data showed that circ_0000808 enhanced the progression of NSCLC by promoting glutamine metabolism through the miR-1827/SLC1A5 axis.
Intramural cancer recurrence in the rectum after curative surgery for proximal sigmoid colon cancer: a case report
Authors: Asada Yusuke , Chinen Katsuya , Yamataka Ken , Tokuyama Jo , Kurihara Naoto , Iida Shuhei
Published: October 2022

Background

Intramural metastasis distant from the primary tumor is rare in colorectal cancer. Here, we present a notably rare and probably the first case of asynchronous intramural recurrence in the rectum after curative surgery for proximal sigmoid colon cancer.

Case presentation

A 44-year-old man underwent curative sigmoidectomy for proximal sigmoid colon cancer with T3N0M0, Stage IIA tubular adenocarcinomas. After 15 months, the tumor marker level had increased, and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) revealed abnormal fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the rectum; colonoscopy revealed a submucosal tumor (SMT)-like lesion in the upper rectum, and biopsy revealed a tubular adenocarcinoma. We performed curative low anterior resection with tumor-specific mesorectal excision (TSME). The SMT-like tumor was located approximately 20 cm from the initial sigmoid colon anastomosis (i.e., at least 20 cm distal to the initial sigmoid colon cancer). The pathological findings revealed cancer cells with the same features as the initial sigmoid colon cancer, only in the intestinal wall but not in the mucosa and extramural tissue. Therefore, the lesion was determined to be an intramural recurrence.

After 24 months, lung recurrence, and local recurrence, which might have involved the lymph nodes in the preserved mesorectum after TSME at the bottom of the pelvis was detected on PET-CT. Hence, we started systemic chemotherapy.

Conclusions

This case report suggests that PET-CT and short-interval repeat colonoscopy may help detect a rare intramural recurrence. A long distal margin may be necessary to achieve local control in the rectal resection for intramural recurrence.