bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Natural Environment as an Object of Public Health Law: Addressing Health Outcomes of Climate Change through Intersections with Environmental and Agricultural Law
Authors: Krueger Jill , Lawton Betsy
Published: January 2021

The power to change the natural environment has received relatively little attention in public health law, yet is a core concern within environmental and agricultural law. Examples from environmental and agricultural law may inform efforts to change the natural environment in order to reduce the health impacts of climate change. Public health lawyers who attend to the natural environment may succeed in elevating health concerns within the environmental and agricultural law spheres, while gaining new tools for their public health law toolbox.
An Ethicolegal Analysis of Involuntary Treatment for Opioid Use
Disorders
Authors: Udwadia Farhad R. , Illes Judy
Published: January 2021

Supply-side interventions such as prescription drug monitoring programs,
“pill mill” laws, and dispensing limits have done little to quell the
burgeoning opioid crisis. An increasingly popular demand-side alternative to
these measures – now adopted by 38 jurisdictions in the USA and 7 provinces
in Canada — is court-mandated involuntary commitment and treatment. In
Massachusetts, for example, Part I, Chapter 123, Section 35 of the state's
General Laws allows physicians, spouses, relatives, and police officers to
petition a court to involuntarily commit and treat a person whose alcohol or
drug abuse poses a likelihood of serious harm. This paper explores the
ethical underpinnings of this law as a case study for others. First, we
highlight the procedural and substantive standards of Section 35 and
evaluate the application of the law in practice, including the frequency
with which it has been invoked and outcomes. We then use this background to
inform an ethical critique of the law. Specifically, we argue that the
infringement of autonomy and privacy associated with involuntary
intervention under Section 35 is not currently justified on the grounds of a
lack of evidenced benefits and a risk of significant of harm. Further
ethical concerns also arise from a lack of standard of care provided under
the Section 35 pathway. Based on this analysis, we advance four
recommendations for change to mitigate these ethical shortcomings.
Implementing Checklists to Improve Police Responses to Co-Victims of Gun
Violence
Authors: Kuhn Samuel A. , Meares Tracey L.
Published: January 2021

This qualitative study identifies police interactions with gun violence
co-victims as a crucial, overlooked component of police unresponsiveness,
particularly in minority communities where perceptions of police
illegitimacy and legal estrangement are relatively high. Gun violence
co-victims in three cities participated in online surveys, in which they
described pervasive disregard by police in the aftermath of their loved
ones' shooting victimization. We build on the checklist model that has
improved public safety outcomes in other complex, high-intensity
professional contexts to propose a checklist for police detectives to follow
in the aftermath of gun violence. To build the checklist, we also reviewed
the general orders of five police departments to better understand what
guidance, if any, is currently given to police personnel regarding how they
should interact with gun violence victims.
COVID-19 Emergency Restrictions on Firearms
Authors: Kuhn Samuel A.
Published: January 2021

This article examines emergency restrictions imposed by state-level
public officials on firearms during the COVID-19 pandemic. It surveys the
litigation challenging each of the relatively few restrictions that were
imposed, considers when and whether courts should apply the deferential
Jacobson standard, the Heller Second Amendment
analysis, or both, and explores the possibility that the unsettled nature of
Second Amendment jurisprudence makes it likely that challenges to emergency
firearms restrictions could result in dramatic developments in what the
Second Amendment protects.
Mental Illness and Gun Violence: Research and Policy Options
Authors: Honberg Ronald S.
Published: January 2021

This article provides an overview of current knowledge about the
relationship between mental illness, violence, homicides, and suicides, with
a view towards crafting sensible public policy options for reducing gun
violence towards self or others. With this knowledge as a backdrop, the
limitations of the federal National Instant Background Check System (NICS)
as both over-inclusive and under-inclusive in identifying people with mental
illness who pose potential risks are discussed. Finally, the article
describes emerging approaches for identifying and removing firearms from
persons who pose potential risks of gun violence towards self or others,
including Extreme Risk Protection Orders (“Red Flag Laws“) and other
options.
The “Rules of the Road”: Ethics, Firearms, and the Physician's
“Lane”
Authors: Shultz Blake N. , Tolchin Benjamin , Kraschel Katherine L.
Published: January 2021

Physicians play a critical role in preventing and treating firearm
injury, although the scope of that role remains contentious and lacks
systematic definition. This piece aims to utilize the fundamental principles
of medical ethics to present a framework for physician involvement in
firearm violence. Physicians' agency relationship with their patients
creates ethical obligations grounded on three principles of medical ethics —
patient autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence. Taken together, they
suggest that physicians ought to engage in clinical screening and treatment
related to firearm violence. The principle of beneficence also applies more
generally, but more weakly, to relations between physicians and society,
creating nonobligatory moral ideals. Balanced against physicians' primary
obligations to patient agency relationships, general beneficence suggests
that physicians may engage in public advocacy to address gun violence,
although they are not ethically obligated to do so. A fourth foundational
principle — justice — requires that clinicians attempt to ensure that the
benefits and burdens of healthcare are distributed fairly.
Halal strategies on official government tourism websites: An extension and validation study
Authors: Adel Ahmed M , Dai Xin , Yan Chenfeng , Roshdy Rana S
Published: January 2021

The current research extends the current literature of halal tourism by applying information seeking models to analyze the halal culinary marketing strategies. It aims at identifying the halal marketing strategies from the official tourism providers' perspective (the supply side) by extending and validating the halal culinary framework of Yousaf and Xiucheng. A content analysis of the government websites of the top Muslim inbound destinations among non-Islamic nations (as a vital source of information) is employed. The results of the content analysis revealed that several non-Islamic destinations did not pay attention in their official tourism offerings to promote the interests of the unique requirements of Muslims. It is found that only three destinations; New Zealand, Singapore, and Australia promote halal strategies on their government websites. Nevertheless, they could not promote all aspects of halal tourism requirements on their official websites.
Psychological and Behavioral Predictors of Vaccine Efficacy: Considerations for COVID-19
Authors: Madison Annelise A. , Shrout M. Rosie , Renna Megan E. , Kiecolt-Glaser Janice K.
Published: January 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine candidates are being evaluated, with the goal of conferring immunity on the highest percentage of people who receive the vaccine as possible. It is noteworthy that vaccine efficacy depends not only on the vaccine but also on characteristics of the vaccinated. Over the past 30 years, a series of studies has documented the impact of psychological factors on the immune system’s vaccine response. Robust evidence has demonstrated that stress, depression, loneliness, and poor health behaviors can impair the immune system’s response to vaccines, and this effect may be greatest in vulnerable groups such as the elderly. Psychological factors are also implicated in the prevalence and severity of vaccine-related side effects. These findings have generalized across many vaccine types and therefore may be relevant to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. In this review, we discuss these psychological and behavioral risk factors for poor vaccine responses, their relevance to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as targeted psychological and behavioral interventions to boost vaccine efficacy and reduce side effects. Recent data suggest these psychological and behavioral risk factors are highly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, but intervention research suggests that psychological and behavioral interventions can increase vaccine efficacy.
Effects of ETV and VPS on cognitive impairment in infants with congenital hydrocephalus: A retrospective study
Authors: Ji Wen-Yu , Cai Ning , Tu Ke-bai , Wang Yong-Xin , Fan Yan-Dong , Geng DangmurenjiaFu
Published: January 2021

This study aims to investigate the postoperative cognitive function changes of infants who underwent endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) or ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) for the treatment of congenital hydrocephalus. Data of 70 hydrocephalus infants and children were retrospectively analyzed. Among these patients, 20 patients underwent ETV, 27 patients underwent VPS, and 23 patients did not undergo any operation (controls). All patients were routinely cared after discharge. The Gecell Developmental Diagnostic Scale was filled for all patients at 2 weeks, 2 months, and 6 months after diagnosis. A total of 20 patients in the ETV group were followed up for 6 months. Among these patients, the clinical symptoms of 18 patients significantly improved. Results determined at 6 months after surgery in the ETV group was statistically significant, compared with the control group ( P < 0.05). Results determined at 2 and 6 months after surgery in the VPS group were statistically significant, compared with the control group ( P < 0.05). Developmental quotient (DQ) values in these two operation groups increased after the operation ( P < 0.01), and the differences were statistically significant. ETV and VPS can improve the cognitive function of infants with hydrocephalus. Improvement of cognitive function by VPS is more significant for infants.
Effect of Graft Rupture Prevention Training on Young Athletes After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: An 8-Year Prospective Intervention Study
Authors: Kawashima Tatsuhiro , Omi Yorikatsu , Kuriyama Setsurou , Hoshida Takahiko , Sugimoto Dai
Published: January 2021

Background:

There is a lack of research on the effects of a postoperative rehabilitation program on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft rupture.

Hypothesis:

We hypothesized that a hip-focused rehabilitation protocol with graft rupture education and avoidance training (HIP-GREAT program) would demonstrate lower ACL graft rupture rates compared with a traditional physical therapy (PT) program.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

This study consisted of young athletes who had undergone ACL reconstruction at a single institution. Postoperatively, 136 participants (mean age, 16.9 ± 2.4 years) were enrolled in a traditional PT protocol between 2006 and 2010, and 153 participants (mean age, 17.0 ± 2.3 years) were enrolled in the HIP-GREAT protocol between 2011 and 2015. Follow-up rates were 31% (42/136) and 27% (41/153) in the traditional PT and HIP-GREAT groups, respectively, at 3 years postoperatively. The hazard ratio was calculated, and absolute risk reduction (ARR) and number-needed-to-treat (NNT) analyses were performed to compare the 2 protocols.

Results:

ACL graft rupture occurred in 10 patients (7.4%) in the traditional PT group and 5 patients (3.3%) in the HIP-GREAT group. This difference was not statistically significant (hazard ratio, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.14 to 1.16; P = .09). The ARR was 0.041 (95% CI, –0.011 to 0.093), and the NNT was 24.5.

Conclusion:

This study did not demonstrate a statistically significant reduction of ACL graft rupture in patients in the HIP-GREAT group. However, high ARR values and low NNT values were found, which suggests the possible effectiveness of the HIP-GREAT protocol to reduce ACL graft ruptures in young athletes.
Effect of Partial Uncinectomy After Balloon Sinuplasty on Maxillary Sinus Irrigant Penetration: A Cadaveric Study
Authors: Martinez‐Paredes Jhon F. , Karatayli‐Ozgursoy Selmin , Gonzalez Valeria , Olomu Osarenoma , Donaldson Angela M.
Published: January 2021

Objective

The uncinate process may play a role in the amount of irrigation penetrance. In this cadaver study, we aimed to investigate if the addition of partial uncinectomy provides better maxillary sinus irrigation penetrance than balloon sinuplasty (BSP) alone.

Study Design

Cadaveric study.

Setting

Simulation laboratory at the Mayo Clinic in Florida.

Methods

Five fresh‐frozen human cadaveric heads (10 sides) were used to assess maxillary sinus irrigation penetration after 3 interventions performed sequentially: irrigation penetrance with no intervention, irrigation after BSP, and irrigation after BSP and partial removal of the uncinate. Penetrance was recorded with intrasinus endoscopy and scored by 4 blinded observers using a scale from 0 (no irrigation) to 5 (fully irrigated). The diameter of the maxillary ostium was measured before and after BSP. Internal consistency was evaluated with Cronbach’s alpha.

Results

Mean ostium size increased from 4.1 to 6.8 mm after BSP (P =. 013). Cronbach’s alpha was 0.93. The median scores of irrigation penetration after no intervention, BSP, and BSP and partial uncinectomy were 2.5, 3, and 4, respectively. We found a significantly higher penetrance following partial uncinectomy plus BSP versus BSP alone (P =. 008). Both interventions had a statistically significant difference in irrigation penetrance as compared with no intervention (P =. 0001).

Conclusion

Maxillary sinus irrigation penetration increased from baseline after BSP. The addition of a partial uncinectomy to the balloon dilation of the maxillary sinus was associated with a statistically significant increase in irrigation penetrance scores as compared with BSP alone.
Composition and genesis of albitite-hosted antecrystic pyrochlore from the Sevattur carbonatite complex, India
Authors: Dey Monojit , Mitchell Roger H. , Bhattacharjee Sourav , Chakrabarty Aniket , Pal Supriyo , Pal Supratim , Sen Amit Kumar
Published: January 2021

The Neoproterozoic Sevattur complex is composed essentially of calcite and dolomite carbonatites together with pyroxenites and diverse syenites. This work reports the compositions and paragenesis of different pyrochlore generations hosted by albitite veins in this complex. The pyrochlore are distinctive, being exceptionally rich in uranium (26 to 36 wt.% UO2). Five types of pyrochlore (Pcl-I to Pcl-V) are recognised on the basis of composition and texture. With the exception of Pcl-V, the majority of the pyrochlore (Pcl-II to Pcl-IV) are surrounded by a thick orbicular mantle of Ba-rich potassium feldspar. This mantle around Pcl-V is partially-broken. Pcl-I is restricted to the cores of crystals, and associated with Pcl-II and -III and is relatively rich in Nb (0.53–0.62 apfu) together with more A-site vacancies (0.37–0.71 apfu) compared to Pcl-II to Pcl-IV. Other pyrochlore (Pcl-II to Pcl-IV) are characterised by elevated Ca and Ti compared to Pcl-I, which are related to the (3Nb5+ + Na+ → 3Ti4+ + U4+) and (2Nb5+ → 2Ti4+ + Ca2+) substitutions, respectively. These substitutions represent replacement of Pcl-II to Pcl-IV. Alteration and Ba-enrichment in all the pyrochlore are marked by interaction with an externally-derived Ba-rich hydrothermal fluid following the (2Nb5+ → 2Ti4+ + Ba2+) substitution. This substitution, coupled with extensive metamictisation leads to the formation of Ba-rich (15.9–16.3 wt.% BaO) patchy-zoned Pcl-V. The orbicular mantles around Pcl-I to Pcl-IV have prevented extensive metamictisation and extensive secondary alteration compared to Pcl-V, where mantling is partially disrupted. The compositional and textural variation suggests that Pcl-II to Pcl-IV form by nucleation on Pcl-I, and are transported subsequently as antecrysts in the host albitite.
Triple therapy in uncontrolled asthma: a network meta-analysis of phase III studies
Authors: Rogliani Paola , Ritondo Beatrice Ludovica , Calzetta Luigino
Published: January 2021

Conflicting evidence is currently available concerning the impact on asthma exacerbation of triple inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/long-acting β2-adrenoceptor agonist (LABA)/long-acting muscarinic receptor antagonist (LAMA) fixed-dose combination (FDC).

Since meta-analyses allow settling controversies of apparently inconsistent results, we performed a network meta-analysis of phase III randomised controlled trials including 9535 patients to assess the effect of ICS/LABA/LAMA combinations in uncontrolled asthma.

Triple combination therapies with an ICS administered at high dose (HD) were more effective (p<0.05) than medium-dose (MD) ICS/LABA/LAMA FDC and both MD and HD ICS/LABA FDCs against moderate to severe exacerbation (relative risk 0.61–0.80) and increasing trough forced expiratory volume in 1 s (from +33 to +114 mL). Triple combination therapies including HD ICS were superior (p<0.05) to MD ICS/LABA/LAMA FDC in preventing severe exacerbation (relative risk 0.46–0.65), but not with respect to moderate exacerbation (p>0.05). Triple combination therapies were equally effective on asthma control, with no safety concerns.

This quantitative synthesis suggests that ICS/LABA/LAMA FDCs are effective and safe in uncontrolled asthma, and that the dose of ICS in the combination represents the discriminating factor to treat patients with a history of moderate or severe exacerbation.
“It's like being on a roller coaster”: the burden of caring for people with severe asthma
Authors: Majellano Eleanor C. , Clark Vanessa L. , Foster Juliet M. , Gibson Peter G. , McDonald Vanessa M.
Published: January 2021

Introduction

Family carers and significant others play a fundamental role in the well-being of people with severe asthma. This study aimed to investigate the challenges faced by family carers/significant others of people with severe asthma, to understand if there is an unmet need and to explore coping strategies.

Methods

Carers of people with severe asthma were invited to participate in a face-to-face or telephone interview. Semi-structured interviews were conducted until reaching data saturation of themes. The 20 interviews were recorded and transcribed, and analysis of data followed an inductive thematic approach.

Results

We report three overarching emergent themes: 1) “Caring role impacts”, which centred around the negative and positive impacts of caring on carers' well-being; 2) “Unmet needs”, which encapsulated the support needs participants desired and were categorised into unmet information, biopsychosocial needs and carers' involvement in decision-making; and 3) “Coping strategies”, which were central to the range of tools and positive approaches in dealing with caring demands.

Discussion

Caring for someone with severe asthma can be burdensome and may negatively affect the physical and psychosocial health of the carer. Various coping strategies are used to manage the demands of these caring roles. Carers of people with severe asthma expressed a need for informational, biopsychosocial and involvement in care decision-making support.Tailored support services that are sensitive to their needs may improve their quality of life and encourage healthcare providers to value and acknowledge the important contribution that carers make.
Telomere length de novo assembly of all 7 chromosomes and mitogenome sequencing of the model entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium brunneum, by means of a novel assembly pipeline
Authors: Saud Zack , Kortsinoglou Alexandra M. , Kouvelis Vassili N. , Butt Tariq M.
Published: January 2021

Background

More accurate and complete reference genomes have improved understanding of gene function, biology, and evolutionary mechanisms. Hybrid genome assembly approaches leverage benefits of both long, relatively error-prone reads from third-generation sequencing technologies and short, accurate reads from second-generation sequencing technologies, to produce more accurate and contiguous de novo genome assemblies in comparison to using either technology independently. In this study, we present a novel hybrid assembly pipeline that allowed for both mitogenome de novo assembly and telomere length de novo assembly of all 7 chromosomes of the model entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium brunneum.

Results

The improved assembly allowed for better ab initio gene prediction and a more BUSCO complete proteome set has been generated in comparison to the eight current NCBI reference Metarhizium spp. genomes. Remarkably, we note that including the mitogenome in ab initio gene prediction training improved overall gene prediction. The assembly was further validated by comparing contig assembly agreement across various assemblers, assessing the assembly performance of each tool. Genomic synteny and orthologous protein clusters were compared between Metarhizium brunneum and three other Hypocreales species with complete genomes, identifying core proteins, and listing orthologous protein clusters shared uniquely between the two entomopathogenic fungal species, so as to further facilitate the understanding of molecular mechanisms underpinning fungal-insect pathogenesis.

Conclusions

The novel assembly pipeline may be used for other haploid fungal species, facilitating the need to produce high-quality reference fungal genomes, leading to better understanding of fungal genomic evolution, chromosome structuring and gene regulation.
The parameters of gait analysis related to ambulatory and balance functions in hemiplegic stroke patients: a gait analysis study
Authors: Chang Min Cheol , Lee Byung Joo , Joo Na-Young , Park Donghwi
Published: January 2021

Background

Ambulatory and balance functions are important for maintaining general health in humans. Gait analysis allows clinicians and researchers to identify the parameters to be focused on when assessing balance and ambulatory functions. In this study, we performed gait analysis with pressure sensors to identify the gait-analysis parameters related to balance and ambulatory functions in hemiplegic stroke patients.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 102 patients with hemiplegic stroke who underwent gait analysis. Correlations between various temporospatial parameters in the gait analysis and the motor and balance functions assessed using functional ambulation category, modified Barthel index, and Berg balance scale were analyzed.

Results

Gait speed/height and the lower-limb stance-phase time/height were the only temporal and spatial parameters, respectively, that showed a statistical correlation with motor and balance functions.

Conclusions

Measurements of walking speed and stance-phase time of the unaffected lower limb can allow clinicians to easily assess the ambulatory and balance functions of hemiplegic stroke patients. Rehabilitative treatment focusing on increasing gait speed and shortening the stance-phase time of the unaffected side may improve the ambulatory and balance functions in these patients.
The FitSpirit approach for increasing physical activity in canadian teenage girls: protocol of a longitudinal, quasi-experimental study
Authors: Leduc Geneviève , Gilbert Jo-Anne , Ayotte Alexandra , Moreau Nicolas , Drapeau Vicky , Lemoyne Jean , Monthuy-Blanc Johana , Tremblay Jonathan , Mathieu Marie-Eve
Published: January 2021

Background

Worldwide, most adolescent girls do not meet physical activity (PA) recommendations and very few PA programs are tailored specifically towards them. Even fewer information exists about the long-term effects of such programs. Some Canadian schools have implemented the FitSpirit PA intervention designed specifically for girls aged 12 to 17 years old. This paper describes the protocol of a quasi-experimental study evaluating long-term changes in health behaviours and outcomes following FitSpirit participation.

Methods

The study is conducted among schools that partner with FitSpirit every year. It started in 2018 and will be completed in 2022. The intervention comprises motivational talks, a turnkey running program, PA sessions and special events. Study participants fill out an online questionnaire twice a year. Follow-up questionnaires are sent at the end of each school year to the study participants who dropout from FitSpirit. The main outcome, changes in PA levels, is evaluated using questions validated for adolescents. Secondary outcomes are health (perceived health); lifestyle habits (sedentary activities, eating and sleeping habits); psychosocial outcomes (physical self-efficacy and body satisfaction); and FitSpirit appreciation (activity participation and satisfaction). Most questions originate from questionnaires validated for the adolescent population. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses will be performed.

Discussion

This study will provide one of the first longitudinal reports on the impact of a large extra-curricular PA intervention designed specifically for adolescent girls. The current study will uniquely contribute to PA research by assessing outcomes additional to PA levels, including markers of health, lifestyle habits and psychosocial determinants.

Trial registration

NCT,NCT03804151, Registered on January 22, 2019; retrospectively registered.
Variation in human mobility and its impact on the risk of future COVID-19 outbreaks in Taiwan
Authors: Chang Meng-Chun , Kahn Rebecca , Li Yu-An , Lee Cheng-Sheng , Buckee Caroline O. , Chang Hsiao-Han
Published: January 2021

Background

As COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, understanding how patterns of human mobility and connectivity affect outbreak dynamics, especially before outbreaks establish locally, is critical for informing response efforts. In Taiwan, most cases to date were imported or linked to imported cases.

Methods

In collaboration with Facebook Data for Good, we characterized changes in movement patterns in Taiwan since February 2020, and built metapopulation models that incorporate human movement data to identify the high risk areas of disease spread and assess the potential effects of local travel restrictions in Taiwan.

Results

We found that mobility changed with the number of local cases in Taiwan in the past few months. For each city, we identified the most highly connected areas that may serve as sources of importation during an outbreak. We showed that the risk of an outbreak in Taiwan is enhanced if initial infections occur around holidays. Intracity travel reductions have a higher impact on the risk of an outbreak than intercity travel reductions, while intercity travel reductions can narrow the scope of the outbreak and help target resources. The timing, duration, and level of travel reduction together determine the impact of travel reductions on the number of infections, and multiple combinations of these can result in similar impact.

Conclusions

To prepare for the potential spread within Taiwan, we utilized Facebook’s aggregated and anonymized movement and colocation data to identify cities with higher risk of infection and regional importation. We developed an interactive application that allows users to vary inputs and assumptions and shows the spatial spread of the disease and the impact of intercity and intracity travel reduction under different initial conditions. Our results can be used readily if local transmission occurs in Taiwan after relaxation of border control, providing important insights into future disease surveillance and policies for travel restrictions.
A predictive tool for the assessment of right ventricular dysfunction in non-high-risk patients with acute pulmonary embolism
Authors: Gao Yizhuo , Chen Lianghong , Jia Dong
Published: January 2021

Background

Rapid and accurate identification of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is essential for decreasing mortality associated with acute pulmonary embolism (PE), particularly for non-high-risk patients without hypotension on admission. This study aimed to develop a rapid and accurate tool for predicting the risk of RV dysfunction in non-high-risk patients with acute PE.

Methods

The medical records of non-high-risk patients with acute PE admitted to Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University between January 2011 and May 2020 were retrospectively analysed. The primary outcome of this study was RV dysfunction within 24 h after admission. The enrolled patients were randomized into training or validation sets as a ratio of 2:1. In the training set, a nomogram was developed, and the consistency was corroborated in the validation set. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Results

A total of 845 patients were enrolled, including 420 men and 425 women with an average age of 60.05 ± 15.43 years. Right ventricular dysfunction was identified in 240 patients (28.40%). The nomogram for RV dysfunction included N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, cardiac troponin I, and ventricular diameter ratios, which provided AUC values of 0.881 in the training dataset (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.868–0.898, p < 0.001) and 0.839 in the validation set (95% CI: 0.780–0.897, p < 0.001). The predictive tool was published as a web-based calculato (https://gaoyzcmu.shinyapps.io/APERVD/).

Conclusions

The combination of CT and laboratory parameters forms a predictive tool that may facilitate the identification of RV dysfunction in non-high-risk patients with acute PE.
Differential diagnosis for a mandibular mass – a rare case of an odontoameloblastoma in a red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus)
Authors: Hartung Svenja , Köhler Kernt , Herden Christiane , Henrich Manfred
Published: January 2021

Background

Mandibular masses caused by inflammatory processes due to bacterial infections, most common withActinomyces bovis, are well known in herbivors. This case represents a rare differential diagnosis to common inflammatory processes which cannot be distinguished from neoplasia without detailed histopathological examination.

Case presentation

A large unilateral mandibular mass of a free-ranging female adult red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus) was submitted for pathological examination. The animal had been shot due to its poor body condition. Grossly, the mandibular mass showed gingival ulceration and necrosis. Histologically, irregular strands and islands of odontogenic epithelial cells and a matrix of dentin and osteoid-like material were found, leading to the diagnosis of an odontogenic tumor. Considering the animal’s age the tumor was classified as odontoameloblastoma with secondary chronic purulent osteomyelitis.

Conclusions

Odontogenic tumors are rare in domestic and wildlife species and so far have not been reported in red deer. In addition to the more common inflammatory processes of the mandibula and other neoplastic diseases of the oral cavity, odontogenic tumors represent a rare differential diagnosis that must be kept in mind especially when masked by inflammatory lesions.
Correction to: Genetic analysis of Wnt/PCP genes in neural tube defects
Authors: Chen Zhongzhong , Lei Yunping , Cao Xuanye , Zheng Yufang , Wang Fang , Bao Yihua , Peng Rui , Finnell Richard H. , Zhang Ting , Wang Hongyan
Published: January 2021

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Isolated pulmonary valve endocarditis with rapid progression: a case report and literature review
Authors: Zhang Ming-Xuan , Zhang Wei-Min , Yu Chan , Zhao Bo-Wen , Chen Ran , Pan Mei , Wang Bei
Published: January 2021

Background

Isolated pulmonary valve endocarditis (IPE) is rare, accounting for 1.5–2% of all cases of infective endocarditis. Herein, we describe a case of isolated pulmonary valve endocarditis with rapid progression in a 28-year-old male. Unlike most patients reported previously who were cured with only anti-infective therapy, without surgery at an early stage, multiple complications occurred in this patient in less than 2 weeks.

Case presentation

The patient was diagnosed with pulmonary valve endocarditis with blood cultures showing Staphylococcus aureus and echocardiography revealing 2 masses (measuring 14*13 mm、11*16 mm in size). Only 12 days later, acute massive pulmonary embolism occurred. Then, repeated echocardiography revealed multiple masses attached to the pulmonary valve with severe pulmonary insufficiency and the possibility of pulmonary valve destruction. Finally, pulmonary valve replacement, vegetation removal, and right pulmonary thromboendarterectomy together with resection of the middle and lower lobes of the right lung were performed.

Conclusions

The role of surgery at an early stage might need to be reconsidered, and it may be viable to combine medical and surgical approaches.
Highly elevated polygenic risk scores are better predictors of myocardial infarction risk early in life than later
Authors: Isgut Monica , Sun Jimeng , Quyyumi Arshed A. , Gibson Greg
Published: January 2021

Background

Several polygenic risk scores (PRS) have been developed for cardiovascular risk prediction, but the additive value of including PRS together with conventional risk factors for risk prediction is questionable. This study assesses the clinical utility of including four PRS generated from 194, 46K, 1.5M, and 6M SNPs, along with conventional risk factors, to predict risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD), myocardial infarction (MI), and first MI event on or before age 50 (early MI).

Methods

A cross-validated logistic regression (LR) algorithm was trained either on ~ 440K European ancestry individuals from the UK Biobank (UKB), or the full UKB population, including as features different combinations of conventional established-at-birth risk factors (ancestry, sex) and risk factors that are non-fixed over an individual’s lifespan (age, BMI, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, smoking, family history), with and without also including PRS. The algorithm was trained separately with IHD, MI, and early MI as prediction labels.

Results

When LR was trained using risk factors established-at-birth, adding the four PRS significantly improved the area under the curve (AUC) for IHD (0.62 to 0.67) and MI (0.67 to 0.73), as well as for early MI (0.70 to 0.79). When LR was trained using all risk factors, adding the four PRS only resulted in a significantly higher disease prevalence in the 98th and 99th percentiles of both the IHD and MI scores.

Conclusions

PRS improve cardiovascular risk stratification early in life when knowledge of later-life risk factors is unavailable. However, by middle age, when many risk factors are known, the improvement attributed to PRS is marginal for the general population.
Ixekizumab, with or without concomitant methotrexate, improves signs and symptoms of PsA: week 52 results from Spirit-P1 and Spirit-P2 studies
Authors: Combe Bernard , Tsai Tsen-Fang , Huffstutter J. Eugene , Sprabery Aubrey Trevelin , Lin Chen-Yen , Park So Young , Kronbergs Andris , Hufford Matthew M. , Nash Peter
Published: January 2021

Background

The efficacy and safety of ixekizumab (IXE) with and without continuous concomitant methotrexate (MTX), for up to 52 weeks of treatment, were evaluated in patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Methods

Patients with active PsA who were biologic-naive (SPIRIT-P1) or had prior inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (SPIRIT-P2) were randomized to 80 mg IXE every 4 (IXE Q4W) or 2 weeks (IXE Q2W), after a 160-mg initial dose. In this post hoc analysis, efficacy and safety were assessed up to week 52 in the subgroups of patients who received (i) IXE as monotherapy and (ii) IXE along with a stable dose of MTX (no dose tapering or increase). Efficacy outcomes included, but were not limited to, the percentage of patients achieving the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) responses.

Results

Out of 455 patients initially randomized to IXE, 177 (38.9%) received monotherapy, 230 (50.5%) had concomitant MTX use, and 48 (10.5%) had other concomitant medication. Overall, 183 (40.2%) received IXE with a stable dose of concomitant MTX for 1 year. At week 52, the percentage of patients achieving ACR20/50/70 responses in IXE Q4W monotherapy versus concomitant MTX groups were 66.3% versus 55.3%, 48.4% versus 38.8%, and 35.8% versus 27.1%, respectively; these responses were generally similar with IXE Q2W. The safety profiles were similar between patients receiving IXE with or without concomitant MTX.

Conclusions

In this post hoc analysis, treatment with IXE demonstrated sustained efficacy in patients with PsA up to 1 year of treatment, with or without concomitant MTX therapy.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.govNCT01695239andNCT02349295.
Loss of H3K27 methylation identifies poor outcomes in adult-onset acute leukemia
Authors: van Dijk A. D. , Hoff F. W. , Qiu Y. H. , Chandra J. , Jabbour E. , de Bont E. S. J. M. , Horton T. M. , Kornblau S. M.
Published: January 2021

Background

Acute leukemia is an epigenetically heterogeneous disease. The intensity of treatment is currently guided by cytogenetic and molecular genetic risk classifications; however these incompletely predict outcomes, requiring additional information for more accurate outcome predictions. We aimed to identify potential prognostic implications of epigenetic modification of histone proteins, with a focus on H3K4 and H3K27 methylation marks in relation to mutations in chromatin, splicing and transcriptional regulators in adult-onset acute lymphoblastic and myeloid leukemia.

Results

Histone 3 lysine 4 di- and trimethylation (H3K4me2, H3K4me3) and lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) mark expression was evaluated in 241 acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 114 B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and 14T-cell ALL (T-ALL) patient samples at time of diagnosis using reverse phase protein array. Expression levels of the marks were significantly lower in AML than in B and T-ALL in both bone marrow and peripheral blood, as well as compared to normal CD34+ cells. In AML, greater loss of H3K27me3 was associated with increased proliferative potential and shorter overall survival in the whole patient population, as well as in subsets with DNA methylation mutations. To study the prognostic impact of H3K27me3 in the context of cytogenetic aberrations and mutations, multivariate analysis was performed and identified lower H3K27me3 level as an independent unfavorable prognostic factor in all, as well as in TP53 mutated patients. AML with decreased H3K27me3 demonstrated an upregulated anti-apoptotic phenotype. In ALL, the relative quantity of histone methylation expression correlated with response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor in patients who carried the Philadelphia cytogenetic aberration and prior smoking behavior.

Conclusion

This study shows that proteomic profiling of epigenetic modifications has clinical implications in acute leukemia and supports the idea that epigenetic patterns contribute to a more accurate picture of the leukemic state that complements cytogenetic and molecular genetic subgrouping. A combination of these variables may offer more accurate outcome prediction and we suggest that histone methylation mark measurement at time of diagnosis might be a suitable method to improve patient outcome prediction and subsequent treatment intensity stratification in selected subgroups.
Inflammation scores as prognostic biomarkers in small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Winther-Larsen Anne , Aggerholm-Pedersen Ninna , Sandfeld-Paulsen Birgitte
Published: January 2021

Background

Inflammation scores based on general inflammation markers as leucocyte count or C-reactive protein have been evaluated as prognostic markers of inferior survival in several cancers. In small cell lung cancer (SCLC), however, inflammation scores are less studied. In the present study, we set out to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating reported associations between inflammation scores and overall survival (OS) in SCLC.

Methods

A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Of the identified publications, only studies in English containing original data evaluating inflammation scores as a prognostic factor in SCLC patients were included. Hazard ratios (HRs) for OS were pooled in a random-effects model.

Results

In total, 33 articles were included evaluating eight different inflammation scores in 7762 SCLC patients. Seven of the identified scores were based on leucocyte count. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) ratio were the most frequently evaluated scores (NLR: n = 23; PLR: n = 22). For NLR, a meta-analysis including 16 studies demonstrated that patients with a high NLR had a significantly shorter OS compared to patients with a low NLR (pooled HR = 1.39 (95% CI, 1.23–1.56)). For PLR, an association with survival could not be confirmed in a meta-analysis performed based on eight studies (pooled HR = 1.20 (95% CI, 0.96–1.51)).

Conclusions

This review identifies that inflammation scores based on general inflammation markers have some potential as prognostic biomarkers in SCLC. The meta-analyses indicated that NLR is associated with inferior OS, whereas an association between PLR and OS could not be confirmed. Thus, NLR could be a useful biomarker of OS in SCLC patients.

Systematic review registration

The protocol for the study was submitted to the PROSPERO database (registration number CRD42020188553).
Adaptive synchronization for fractional stochastic neural network with delay
Authors: Junxiang Lu , Xue Hong
Published: January 2021

Under the Brownian motion environment, adaptive synchronization is mainly studied in this paper for fractional-order stochastic neural networks (FSNNs) with time delays and discontinuous activation functions. Firstly, an existence theorem of solutions is established and global solutions of FNNs are obtained under the definition of Filippov solution by using the fixed-point theorem for a condensing map. Secondly, an adaptive controller is designed to ensure the synchronization between FNNs and the corresponding fractional-order FSNNs. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the given results.
An oscillation criterion of linear delay differential equations
Authors: Chatzarakis George E. , Dorociaková Božena , Olach Rudolf
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we present a new sufficient condition for the oscillation of all solutions of linear delay differential equations. The obtained result improves known conditions in the literature. We also give an example to illustrate the applicability and strength of the obtained condition over known ones.
Multi-objective workflow optimization strategy (MOWOS) for cloud computing
Authors: Konjaang J. Kok , Xu Lina
Published: January 2021

Workflow scheduling involves mapping large tasks onto cloud resources to improve scheduling efficiency. This has attracted the interest of many researchers, who devoted their time and resources to improve the performance of scheduling in cloud computing. However, scientific workflows are big data applications, hence the executions are expensive and time consuming. In order to address this issue, we have extended our previous work ”Cost Optimised Heuristic Algorithm (COHA)” and presented a novel workflow scheduling algorithm named Multi-Objective Workflow Optimization Strategy (MOWOS) to jointly reduce execution cost and execution makespan. MOWOS employs tasks splitting mechanism to split large tasks into sub-tasks to reduce their scheduling length. Moreover, two new algorithms called MaxVM selection and MinVM selection are presented in MOWOS for task allocations. The design purpose of MOWOS is to enable all tasks to successfully meet their deadlines at a reduced time and budget. We have carefully tested the performance of MOWOS with a list of workflow inputs. The simulation results have demonstrated that MOWOS can effectively perform VM allocation and deployment, and well handle incoming streaming tasks with a random arriving rate. The performance of the proposed algorithm increases significantly in large and extra-large workflow tasks than in small and medium workflow tasks when compared to the state-of-art work. It can greatly reduce cost by 8%, minimize makespan by 10% and improve resource utilization by 53%, while also allowing all tasks to meet their deadlines.
A preliminary exploration of the effect of concurrent antidepressant medication on responses to high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in severe, enduring anorexia nervosa
Authors: Dalton Bethan , McClelland Jessica , Bartholdy Savani , Kekic Maria , Campbell Iain C. , Schmidt Ulrike
Published: January 2021

Background

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a promising treatment option for people with severe, enduring anorexia nervosa (SE-AN). As depression is often comorbid with AN, antidepressant medication is commonly prescribed to this patient group. Concurrent antidepressant medications may affect the rTMS treatment response. Therefore, in a secondary analysis of data from a feasibility trial, we explored the effect of antidepressant medication on responses to rTMS in people with SE-AN.

Methods

Twenty-six participants with SE-AN received 20 sessions (over 4 weeks) of neuronavigated high-frequency real rTMS to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Eating disorder (ED) and general psychopathology symptoms were assessed at baseline, post-treatment and at a 4-month follow-up.

Results

Participants taking antidepressants (n = 16) for the duration of the rTMS treatment had a greater reduction in ED symptoms at the 4-month follow-up, compared to those not taking antidepressants (n = 10). Antidepressant status was not however associated with significant changes in mood outcomes.

Conclusions

In people with SE-AN receiving rTMS treatment, preliminary findings suggest a potential synergistic effect of antidepressant medication in reducing ED symptomatology. There was however no associated reduction in affective symptoms i.e., the effect does not seem to be related to changes in mood. The sample in this exploratory study was small and heterogenous. However, the preliminary results provide a basis for hypothesis generation for future studies.