bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychological Burden in Meningioma Patients under a Wait-and-Watch Strategy and after Complete Resection Is High—Results of a Prospective Single Center Study
Authors: Kalasauskas Darius , Keric Naureen , Abu Ajaj Salman , von Cube Leoni , Ringel Florian , Renovanz Mirjam
Published: November 2020

The diagnosis of intracranial meningiomas as incidental findings is increasing by growing availability of MRI diagnostics. However, the psychological distress of patients with incidental meningiomas under a wait-and-watch strategy is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to compare the psychosocial situation of meningioma patients under wait-and-watch to patients after complete resection to bridge this gap. The inclusion criteria for the prospective monocenter study were either an incidental meningioma under a wait-and-watch strategy or no neurologic deficits after complete resection. Sociodemographic, clinical, and health-related quality of life and clinical data were assessed. Psychosocial factors were measured by the Distress Thermometer (DT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), and the Short Form (SF-36). A total of 62 patients were included (n = 51 female, mean age 61 (SD 13) years). According to HADS, the prevalence of anxiety was 45% in the postoperative and 42% in the wait-and-watch group (p = 0.60), and depression was 61% and 87%, respectively (p = 0.005). In total, 43% of patients under wait-and-watch and 37% of patients in the postoperative group scored ≥6 on the DT scale. SF-36 scores were similar in all categories except general health (p = 0.005) and physical component aggregate score (43.7 (13.6) vs. 50.5 (9.5), (p = 0.03), both lower in the wait-and-watch group. Multivariate analysis revealed the wait-and-watch strategy was associated with a 4.26-fold higher risk of a pathological depression score based on HADS (p = 0.03). This study demonstrates a high prevalence of psychological distress in meningioma patients. Further evaluation is necessary to identify the patients in need of psychooncological support.
Cancer Immunotherapy by Blocking Immune Checkpoints on Innate Lymphocytes
Authors: Pesce Silvia , Trabanelli Sara , Di Vito Clara , Greppi Marco , Obino Valentina , Guolo Fabio , Minetto Paola , Bozzo Matteo , Calvi Michela , Zaghi Elisa , Candiani Simona , Lemoli Roberto Massimo , Jandus Camilla , Mavilio Domenico , Marcenaro Emanuela
Published: November 2020

Immune checkpoints refer to a plethora of inhibitory pathways of the immune system that play a crucial role in maintaining self-tolerance and in tuning the duration and amplitude of physiological immune responses to minimize collateral tissue damages. The breakdown of this delicate balance leads to pathological conditions, including cancer. Indeed, tumor cells can develop multiple mechanisms to escape from immune system defense, including the activation of immune checkpoint pathways. The development of monoclonal antibodies, targeting inhibitory immune checkpoints, has provided an immense breakthrough in cancer therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), initially developed to reverse functional exhaustion in T cells, recently emerged as important actors in natural killer (NK)-cell-based immunotherapy. Moreover, the discovery that also helper innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) express inhibitory immune checkpoints, suggests that these molecules might be targeted on ILCs, to modulate their functions in the tumor microenvironment. Recently, other strategies to achieve immune checkpoint blockade have been developed, including miRNA exploiting systems. Herein, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on inhibitory immune checkpoints on NK cells and ILCs and we discuss how to target these innate lymphocytes by ICI in both solid tumors and hematological malignancies.
Recurrent Nasopharyngeal Cancer: Critical Review of Local Treatment Options Including Recommendations during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Svajdova Michaela , Sicak Marian , Dubinsky Pavol , Slavik Marek , Slampa Pavel , Kazda Tomas
Published: November 2020

Recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma represents an extremely challenging therapeutic situation. Given the vulnerability of the already pretreated neurological structures surrounding the nasopharynx, any potential salvage retreatment option bears a significant risk of severe complications that result in high treatment-related morbidity, quality of life deterioration, and even mortality. Yet, with careful patient selection, long-term survival may be achieved after local retreatment in a subgroup of patients with local or regional relapse of nasopharyngeal cancer. Early detection of the recurrence represents the key to therapeutic success, and in the case of early stage disease, several curative treatment options can be offered to the patient, albeit with minimal support in prospective clinical data. In this article, an up-to-date review of published evidence on modern surgical and radiation therapy treatment options is summarized, including currently recommended treatment modifications of both therapeutic approaches during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Investigation of MoOx/Al2O3 under Cyclic Operation for Oxidative and Non-Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane
Authors: Matam Santhosh K. , Moffat Caitlin , Hellier Pip , Bowker Michael , Silverwood Ian P. , Catlow C. Richard A. , Jackson S. David , Craswell James , Wells Peter P. , Parker Stewart F. , Gibson Emma K.
Published: November 2020

A MoOx/Al2O3 catalyst was synthesised and tested for oxidative (ODP) and non-oxidative (DP) dehydrogenation of propane in a reaction cycle of ODP followed by DP and a second ODP run. Characterisation results show that the fresh catalyst contains highly dispersed Mo oxide species in the +6 oxidation state with tetrahedral coordination as [MoVIO4]2− moieties. In situ X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) shows that [MoVIO4]2− is present during the first ODP run of the reaction cycle and is reduced to MoIVO2 in the following DP run. The reduced species are partly re-oxidised in the subsequent second ODP run of the reaction cycle. The partly re-oxidised species exhibit oxidation and coordination states that are lower than 6 but higher than 4 and are referred to as MoxOy. These species significantly improved propene formation (relatively 27% higher) in the second ODP run at similar propane conversion activity. Accordingly, the initial tetrahedral [MoVIO4]2− present during the first ODP run of the reaction cycle is active for propane conversion; however, it is unselective for propene. The reduced MoIVO2 species are relatively less active and selective for DP. It is suggested that the MoxOy species generated by the reaction cycle are active and selective for ODP. The vibrational spectroscopic data indicate that the retained surface species are amorphous carbon deposits with a higher proportion of aromatic/olefinic like species.
Lanthanum Nickel Oxide: An Effective Heterogeneous Activator of Sodium Persulfate for Antibiotics Elimination
Authors: Petala Athanasia , Arvaniti Olga S. , Christofili Maria , Safakas Alexandros , Frontistis Zacharias , Mantzavinos Dionissios
Published: November 2020

In recent years, the presence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in surface waters and wastewaters has b the effectiveness of conventional water treatment methods. Towards this direction, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for the complete elimination of micro pollutants in waters have become an emerging area of research. The present study reports the heterogeneous activation of sodium persulfate (SPS) by LaNiO3 (LNO) perovskite oxide for the degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), an antibiotic agent. LNO was prepared according to a combustion method, and its physicochemical characteristics were identified by means of XRD, BET, TEM, and SEM/EDS. SMX degradation results showed the great efficiency of LNO for SPS activation. Increasing LNO and SPS dosage up to 250 mg/L enhanced the SMX degradation. In contrast, increasing SMX concentration resulted in longer time periods for its degradation. Considering the pH effect, SMX removal was obstructed under basic conditions, while the efficiency was enhanced at near-neutral conditions. The present system’s activity was also tested for piroxicam (PIR) and methylparaben (MeP) degradation, showing promising results. Unfortunately, experiments conducted in real water matrices such as bottled water (BW) and wastewater (WW), showed that SMX removal was limited to less than 25% in both cases. The hindering effects were mainly attributed to bicarbonate ions and organic matter present in aqueous media. The results obtained using suitable radical scavengers revealed the contribution of both hydroxyl and sulfate radicals in degradation reactions. Finally, LNO exhibited good stability under consecutive experimental runs.
Behavioral and Emotional Disorders in Children and Their Anesthetic Implications
Authors: Reddy Srijaya , Deutsch Nina
Published: November 2020

While most children have anxiety and fears in the hospital environment, especially prior to having surgery, there are several common behavioral and emotional disorders in children that can pose a challenge in the perioperative setting. These include anxiety, depression, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. The aim of this review article is to provide a brief overview of each disorder, explore the impact on anesthesia and perioperative care, and highlight some management techniques that can be used to facilitate a smooth perioperative course.
Body Mass Index and Blood Pressure-to-Height Ratio in Predicting Incidence of Hypertension in Serbian Children
Authors: Puškaš Valerija , Rakić Rada , Batez Maja , Sakač Dejan , Pavlica Tatjana
Published: November 2020

Background: A new method using blood pressure-to-height ratio for diagnosing elevated blood pressure/hypertension in children has been introduced recently. We aimed to compare blood pressure-to-height ratio (BPHR) and Body Mass Index (BMI) in predicting incidence of hypertension (HTN). Methods: The sample consisted of 1133 boys and 1154 girls aged 7–15. We used the following equations for BPHR: systolic BPHR (SBPHR) = SBP (mm Hg)/height (cm) and diastolic BPHR (DBPHR) = DBP (mm Hg)/height (cm). In order to determine the accuracy of SBPHR, DBPHR and BMI as diagnostic tests for elevated blood pressure (elevated BP), we used the receiveroperating characteristic curve analyses. Results: The area under the curve (AUC) values for BMI ranged from 0.625 to 0.723 with quite low sensitivity rates from 62% to 72.5% and specificities from 58.2% to 67.3% showing a modest ability to identify children with elevated BP and HTN. On the contrary, BPHR showed a great predictive ability to identify elevated BP and HTN with AUC values of 0.836 to 0.949 for SBP and from 0.777 to 0.904 for DBP. Furthermore, the sensitivity ranged from 78.5% to 95.7%, and the specificity from 73.9% to 87.6%. Conclusion: the current study showed that BPHR is an accurate index for detecting elevated BP and HTN in children aged 7 to 15 years and can be used for early screening.
An Efficient Testing Scheme for Power-Balanceability of Power System Including Controllable and Fluctuating Power Devices
Authors: Javaid Saher , Kaneko Mineo , Tan Yasuo
Published: November 2020

Renewable power sources are environmentally friendly power generation systems, such as wind turbines or photovoltaics; however, the output power fluctuations due to the intermittence and variability of these power systems can greatly affect the quality and stability of the power system network. Furthermore, the power fluctuations that are triggered by power load devices also have similar results on the power system. Therefore, it is essential to introduce power level control for controllable power devices and connection in order to lessen the effects of dynamic power fluctuations that are caused by fluctuating power source devices and load devices. The issue of power balancing as a part of power level control presented in this paper assigns power levels to controllable power devices and connections between power source devices and load devices to absorb dynamic power fluctuations. In this paper, we focus on power conservation law instead of detailed voltage or current-based network characterization and present a new power balanceability test for a power flow system that comprises of both fluctuating and controllable power devices. Our proposed power balanceability test can assure the existence of a power flow assignment of power devices and connections for any value of power generation and/or the consumption of fluctuating power devices. Our proposed power balanceability test method can be expressed as a linear programming problem, and it can be resolved in polynomial time complexity.
Early Interim Chemotherapy Response Evaluation by F-18 FDG PET/CT in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Park Hye , Han Eun , O Joo , Choi Byung-Ock , Park Gyeongsin , Jung Seung-Eun , Yahng Seung-Ah , Eom Ki-Seong , Cho Seok-Goo ,   on behalf of Catholic University Lymphoma Group
Published: November 2020

Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) after one cycle of standard chemotherapy in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) was assessed. Prospectively enrolled 51 patients had four PET/CT studies using the same protocol and system: at baseline and after one, three, and six cycles of chemotherapy (PET0, PET1, PET3, PET6). The PET1 and PET6 Deauville five-point score (D5PS) agreed in 60.8%, while PET3 and PET6 D5PS agreed in 90.2%. The absolute and percent changes of peak standard uptake value corrected for lean body mass (SULpeak) compared to baseline were significantly different between PET1 and PET3 (p = 0.001, p < 0.001) and PET1 and PET6 (p = 0.002, p = 0.001), but not between PET3 and PET6 (p = 0.276, p = 0.181). The absolute SULpeak from PET1 predicted treatment failure with accuracy of 78.4% (area under the curve 0.73, p = 0.023). D5PS, SULpeak, and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) were not statistically different between responders versus non-responders, or the one year disease-free versus relapse groups. D5PS and PERCIST responses showed 100% agreement at end-of-therapy. In conclusion, the responses after three and six cycles of therapy showed high degree of agreement. D5PS or MTV after one cycle of chemotherapy could not predict response or one-year disease-free status, but the SULpeak from PET1 was associated with response to first line therapy in DLBCL. Deauville and PERCIST criteria show high concordance.
On the Design and Analysis of Compact Super-Wideband Quad Element Chiral MIMO Array for High Data Rate Applications
Authors: Boologam Ananda Venkatesan , Krishnan Kalimuthu , Palaniswamy Sandeep Kumar , Manimegalai C. T. , Gauni Sabitha
Published: November 2020

This paper presents a compact, bouquet-inspired, four-element MIMO array for super wideband (SWB) applications. The proposed unit element monopole antenna has compact geometry, and it is deployed by the fusion of an elliptical and circular-shaped radiator. The convoluted geometry and semi-elliptical ground plane, along with the narrow rectangular slit defected ground structure, provides a wide impedance bandwidth. The designed unit cell has the dimensions of 32 mm × 20 mm × 0.8 mm, operates from 2.9 to 30 GHz (S11 ≤ −10 dB) and provides a bandwidth dimension ratio (BDR) of 2894. The proposed low-profile diversity array without any decoupling structures consists of four orthogonally placed, uncorrelated antennas with an inter element spacing of 0.05 λ0, occupies an area of 57 mm × 57 mm and provides dual polarization. The performance metrics of the diversity array were validated for frequencies over ultra-wideband, using mutual coupling characteristics, envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) by far-field radiation, diversity gain (DG), total active reflection coefficient (TARC), channel capacity loss (CCL) and cumulative distribution function (CDF) analysis. The measured mutual coupling over the operating band was less than −18 dB, the ECC was less than 0.004 and the TARC was less than −15 dB, and a better CCL of ˂0.28 bits/s/Hz was achieved by the fabricated antenna.
Simulating Combined Self-Loading Truck and Semitrailer Truck Transport in the Wood Supply Chain
Authors: Kogler Christoph , Stenitzer Alexander , Rauch Peter
Published: November 2020

Forestry faces frequent and severe natural calamities causing high amounts of salvage wood. Especially under mountainous conditions, regional available self-loading truck capacity is often the main limiting factor causing transport capacity bottlenecks. Therefore, innovative logistics strategies are needed to ensure quick transport of high amounts of salvage wood. Consequently, a multi-echelon unimodal transport concept, where timber is synchronously transshipped at a truck terminal with four transshipment lots from self-loading trucks to semitrailers, was modeled by means of a discrete event simulation. The simulation model calculates key performance indicators such as transshipped volumes and costs and support estimations of optimal truck fleet configuration. The results provide cost-optimal truck fleet configurations in terms of the number of self-loading trucks, semitrailers and prime mover trucks for varying transshipment volumes, delivery time to terminal and legal truck payload scenarios. Applying the truck terminal concept considerably decreases the number of self-loading trucks needed to transport the same volume when compared to unimodal wood transport, which is most common under mountainous conditions in Europe. In the majority of delivery time to terminal and terminal transshipment volume scenarios, the number of self-loading trucks was reduced by more than 50%. Increasing the legal gross vehicle weight for timber transport from 44 t up to 50 t reduces the number of self-loading trucks needed by 20% to 38%, depending on the scenario setting. Additionally, less self-loading trucks arriving at the terminal also cuts queuing times and system efficiency increases as transport cost/t is reduced by 6% to 11% depending on the scenario setting. Expanding the truck terminal concept by adding storage capacity as well as varying the number of transshipping lots and also including costs for terminal construction and operations in the economic analyses are promising topics for future studies.
Effect of Thermal Modification on the Nano-Mechanical Properties of the Wood Cell Wall and Waterborne Polyacrylic Coating
Authors: Wu Yan , Wu Xinyu , Yang Feng , Zhang Haiqiao , Feng Xinhao , Zhang Jilei
Published: November 2020

Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) samples were heat-treated at different treatment temperatures (150, 170, and 190 °C), and the nano-mechanical properties of the wood cell wall, which was coated with a waterborne polyacrylic (WPA) lacquer product, were compared. The elastic modulus (Er) and hardness (H) of wood cell wall and the coating were measured and characterized by nanoindentation, and the influencing factors of mechanical properties during thermal modification were investigated by chemical composition analysis, contact angle analysis, and colorimetric analysis. The results showed that with the increase in the heat treatment temperature, the contact angle of the water on the wood’s surface and the colorimetric difference increased, while the content of the cellulose and hemicelluloses decreased. After thermal modification of 190 °C, the Er and H of the wood cell wall increased by 13.9% and 17.6%, respectively, and the Er and H of the WPA coating applied to the wood decreased by 12.1% and 22.2%. The Er and H of the interface between the coating and wood were lower than those near the coating’s surface. The Er and H of the cell wall at the interface between the coating and wood were lower than those far away from the coating. This study was of great significance for understanding the binding mechanism between coating and wood cell walls and improving the finishing technology of the wood materials after thermal modification.
Effects of an Extract from Olive Fruits on the Physicochemical Properties, Lipid Oxidation and Volatile Compounds of Beef Patties
Authors: Gómez Inmaculada , García-Varona Celia , Curiel-Fernández María , Ortega-Heras Miriam
Published: November 2020

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of an olive extract (OE) on the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics, lipid oxidation and volatile compounds of beef patties stored both aerobically and under modified atmosphere packaging for 15 days at 4 °C. The antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of the OE were compared to those of sulfite. Four formulations were elaborated according to the antioxidant and dose used: without antioxidant, C; 300 mg potassium metabisulfite/kg product, S; 150 mg OE/kg product, OE1; and 250 mg of OE/kg product, OE2. The parameters analyzed were pH, water activity, color, lipid oxidation (TBARS and volatile organic compounds: hexanal, 2-pentyl-furan, 1-pentanol, 2,3-octanedione and nonanal, 1-octen-2-ol) and total viable counts. The OE delayed the loss of the bright red color of the patties and reduced the lipid oxidation in both types of packaging compared to the control patty. Sulfite was the most effective antioxidant for inhibition of the total viable counts. An OE could be used as a natural antioxidant to delay the lipid oxidation of meat without negatively affecting its physicochemical properties.
Simultaneous Detection of CNVs and SNVs Improves the Diagnostic Yield of Fetuses with Ultrasound Anomalies and Normal Karyotypes
Authors: Qi Qingwei , Jiang Yulin , Zhou Xiya , Meng Hua , Hao Na , Chang Jiazhen , Bai Junjie , Wang Chunli , Wang Mingming , Guo Jiangshan , Ouyang Yunshu , Xu Zhonghui , Xiao Mengsu , Zhang Victor Wei , Liu Juntao
Published: November 2020

The routine assessment to determine the genetic etiology for fetal ultrasound anomalies follows a sequential approach, which usually takes about 6–8 weeks turnaround time (TAT). We evaluated the clinical utility of simultaneous detection of copy number variations (CNVs) and single nucleotide variants (SNVs)/small insertion-deletions (indels) in fetuses with a normal karyotype with ultrasound anomalies. We performed CNV detection by chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) or low pass CNV-sequencing (CNV-seq), and in parallel SNVs/indels detection by trio-based clinical exome sequencing (CES) or whole exome sequencing (WES). Eight-three singleton pregnancies with a normal fetal karyotype were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Pathogenic or likely pathogenic variations were identified in 30 cases (CNVs in 3 cases, SNVs/indels in 27 cases), indicating an overall molecular diagnostic rate of 36.1% (30/83). Two cases had both a CNV of uncertain significance (VOUS) and likely pathogenic SNV, and one case carried both a VOUS CNV and an SNV. We demonstrated that simultaneous analysis of CNVs and SNVs/indels can improve the diagnostic yield of prenatal diagnosis with shortened reporting time, namely, 2–3 weeks. Due to the relatively long TAT for sequential procedure for prenatal genetic diagnosis, as well as recent sequencing technology advancements, it is clinically necessary to consider the simultaneous evaluation of CNVs and SNVs/indels to enhance the diagnostic yield and timely TAT, especially for cases in the late second trimester or third trimester.
Peak Oxygen Uptake and Exercise Capacity of Children Undergoing Leukemia Treatment
Authors: Kowaluk Aleksandra , Woźniewski Marek
Published: November 2020

The aim of the study was to assess the exercise capacity (VO2peak) of children undergoing leukemia treatment and to compare the results with healthy children. Furthermore, we assessed the influence of treatment methods on the level of exercise capacity and the increase in sedentary behaviors. The study comprised 21 children (12 boys and 9 girls) undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (n = 13) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (n = 8). The subjects were aged 7–13 years (mean age 10.7, SD 2.0 years). Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by using the ergospirometry test. Progressive Godfrey protocol was performed. The level of physical activity was assessed by using the questions from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC 2018) questionnaire. The study results showed that children undergoing leukemia treatment were characterized by a reduced level of exercise capacity. The measured value of VO2peak in the group of treated children was, on average, 22.16 mL·kg−1·min−1. The mean values of VO2peak predicted for this age group were 45.48 mL·kg−1·min−1 (SD, 3.8). The measured value of VO2peak in the study group with the division into age groups was, on average, 21.21 mL·kg−1·min−1 in the group of children aged 7–10 years. In the group of children aged 11–13 years, this parameter was 22.64 mL·kg−1·min−1. Lack of physical activity and failure to meet the standards for the minimum level of weekly physical activity (MVPA index—moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) probably contribute to the deterioration in exercise capacity level of cancer-treated children.
Prevalence of Dyslipidaemia among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in the Western Cape, South Africa
Authors: Omodanisi Elizabeth I. , Tomose Yibanathi , Okeleye Benjamin I. , Ntwampe Seteno K. O. , Aboua Yapo G.
Published: November 2020

Dyslipidaemia, an irregular aggregate of lipids in the blood is common in diabetes and cardiovascular disease sufferers. A cross-sectional study on the prevalence of dyslipidaemia was performed among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in the Western Cape, South Africa. Patients (n = 100) that participated in the study were within the age range of 19–68 years, of whom 89% were observed to have serum lipid abnormalities. Out of the 100 patients, 56%, 64%, 61%, and 65% were recorded to have high total cholesterol (TC), hypertriglycemia, increased low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C), and reduced high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL-C), respectively. In male diabetic patients, a marked prevalence of (94%) dyslipidemia was noted, of which 52% were affected by high TC (5.3–7.9 mmol/L), with 70% having a high level of triglyceride (TG) [1.72–7.34 mmol/L], while 60% had a high LDL-C (3.1–5.5 mmol/L), including 78% with low HDL-C (0.7–1.1 mmol/L). In comparison, 84% of diabetic females had dyslipidemia, with high TC (5.1–8.1 mmol/L), hypertriglycemia (1.73–8.63 mmol/L), high LDL-C (3.1–5.6 mmol/L), and low levels of HDL-C (0.8–1.1 mmol/L) affecting 60%, 58%, 62%, and 52% of the patients, respectively. This study showed the importance of screening and the regular surveillance of dyslipidaemia in T2DM patients as there is a paucity of data on it in Africa.
Experiences of Using Pathways and Resources for Engagement and Participation (PREP) Intervention for Children with Acquired Brain Injury: A Knowledge Translation Study
Authors: Burrough Melanie , Beanlands Clare , Sugarhood Paul
Published: November 2020

Background: Children with acquired brain injury experience participation restrictions. Pathways and Resources for Engagement and Participation (PREP) is an innovative, participation focused intervention. Studies have examined PREP in Canadian research contexts, however little is known about implementation in real-life clinical settings. This study aimed to understand experiences of clinicians implementing PREP in a UK clinical context, with a focus on implementation processes and key factors for successful implementation. Methods: A qualitative single-site 8-week knowledge translation intervention study, guided by an action research framework, explored clinicians’ experiences of implementation. Six occupational therapists (OTs) working in a neurorehabilitation setting participated. The therapists provided two intervention sessions per week, over four weeks for one child on their caseload. Planning, implementation and evaluation were explored through two focus groups. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. Results: Two themes, “key ingredients before you start” and “PREP guides the journey”, were identified before introducing PREP to practice. Four additional themes were related to PREP implementation: “shifting to a participation perspective”, “participation moves beyond the OT”, “environmental challengers and remedies” and “whole family readiness”. A participation ripple effect was observed by building capacity across the multi-disciplinary team and families. The involvement of peers, social opportunities and acknowledging family readiness were key factors for successful implementation. Conclusions: The findings illustrate practical guidance to facilitate the uptake of participation-based evidence in clinical practice. Further research is required to understand aspects of knowledge translation when implementing participation interventions in other UK clinical settings.
The Relationship between Obesity and Physical Activity of Children in the Spotlight of Their Parents’ Excessive Body Weight
Authors: Sigmund Erik , Sigmundová Dagmar
Published: November 2020

Background: The study reveals the relationships between daily physical activity (PA) and the prevalence of obesity in family members separated according to the participation of their offspring in organized leisure-time physical activity (OLTPA), and answers the question of whether the participation of children in OLTPA is associated with a lower prevalence of obesity in offspring with respect to parental PA and body weight level. Methods: The cross-sectional study included 1493 parent-child dyads (915/578 mother/father-child aged 4–16 years) from Czechia selected by two-stage stratified random sampling with complete data on body weight status and weekly PA gathered over a regular school week between 2013 and 2019. Results: The children who participated in OLTPA ≥ three times a week had a significantly lower (p < 0.005) prevalence of obesity than the children without participation in OLTPA (5.0% vs. 11.1%). Even in the case of overweight/obese mothers/fathers, the children with OLTPA ≥ three times a week had a significantly lower (p < 0.002) prevalence of obesity than the children without OLTPA (6.7%/4.2% vs. 14.9%/10.7%). Conclusions: The cumulative effect of regular participation in OLTPA and a child’s own PA is a stronger alleviator of children’s obesity than their parents’ risk of overweight/obesity.
Self-Perceptions and Behavior of Older People Living Alone
Authors: Molina-Mula Jesús , Gallo-Estrada Julia , González-Trujillo Antonio
Published: November 2020

It is currently acknowledged that older people prefer to live in their own home, even if they are lonely or disabled in some way. The factors that condition aging among older people members of the population living alone include the following: the existence or absence of a social network, gender, the home or place where they live, their capacity to function, and welfare and health resources. The main goal of this study was to explore the perceptions of older peoples over 75 years old about adaptation strategies and the social, gender, physical autonomy, and socio-health resource factors that determine their permanence at home. The authors used a qualitative methodology, within a critical social framework, based on the theories of Pierre Bourdieu. When the interviewees’ discourse was analyzed, four main categories were evident: (a) “A desire to stay at home”, (b) “Changes and every-day aspects of domestic life”, (c) “Reliance on social and family assistance”, and (d) “The use of social services and resources”. In synthesis, the participants questioned the benefits of the type of home life offered by members of the family. They believed that, in some cases, this option did not overcome the problem of loneliness or the need to hire assistance. The findings of the study revealed that one needs to dispel the notion of geriatric care as a form of charity, and to distinguish between the activities of caring, providing support, and offering companionship to someone. It is important to identify products designed for older people who might live for a long time.
Influence of School-Based Smoking Prevention Education on Reducing Gap in Exposure to Anti-Tobacco Media Message among Korean Adolescents
Authors: Hwang Jun Hyun , Ryu Dong-Hee , Park Soon-Woo
Published: November 2020

Korean adolescents at high risk for smoking are less exposed to anti-tobacco media messages. This study examines whether school-based smoking prevention education is related to media exposure and whether it can contribute to reducing the gap in exposure to anti-tobacco media messages between smoking vulnerable and non-vulnerable groups. A nationally representative dataset, the 2018 Korea youth risk behavior web-based survey, comprising 59,410 students from grades 7–12, was analyzed. Logistic regression models were designed to evaluate the association between school-based smoking prevention education and media messages exposure. Within-group differences in exposure levels based on sociodemographic characteristics were compared depending on participation or nonparticipation in school-based smoking prevention education. Experience of smoking prevention education within a year was significantly associated with exposure to anti-tobacco media messages. Among Korean adolescents who participated in smoking prevention education compared to those who did not, the media messages exposure rate was more than 20% higher, and the exposure gap within the subgroups by sociodemographic characteristics was narrower. Participation in school-based smoking prevention education was significantly related to media messages exposure. This relationship can be used to improve the overall media messages exposure rate and to reduce the differences in exposure rate based on sociodemographic traits.
The EuRRECa Project as a Model for Data Access and Governance Policies for Rare Disease Registries That Collect Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Ali Salma R. , Bryce Jillian , Tan Li En , Hiort Olaf , Pereira Alberto M. , van den Akker Erica L. T. , Appelman-Dijkstra Natasha M. , Bertherat Jerome , Cools Martine , Dekkers Olaf M. , Kodra Yllka , Persani Luca , Smyth Arelene , Smythe Christopher , Taruscio Domenica , Ahmed S. Faisal
Published: November 2020

Rare disease (RD) registries are important platforms that facilitate communication between health care professionals, patients and other members of the multidisciplinary team. RD registries enable data sharing and promotion of research and audits, often in an international setting, with the overall aim of improving patient care. RD registries also have a fundamental role in supporting the work of clinical networks such as the European Reference Networks (ERNs) for rare diseases. With the recent expansion of RD registries, it has become even more essential to outline standards of good practice in relation to governance, infrastructure, documentation, training, audits and adopting the Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) data principles to maintain registries of high quality. For the purpose of this paper, we highlight vital aspects of data access and data governance policies for RD registries, using the European Registries for Rare Endocrine Conditions (EuRRECa) as an example of a project that aims to promote good standards of practice for improving the quality of utilization of RD registries.
An Enhanced Kaizen Event in a Sterile Processing Department of a Rural Hospital: A Case Study
Authors: Nino Valentina , Claudio David , Valladares Leonardo , Harris Sean
Published: November 2020

Operating Rooms (ORs) generate the largest revenues and losses in a hospital. Without the prompt supply of sterile surgical trays from the Sterile Processing Department (SPD), the OR would not be able to perform surgeries to its busy schedule. Nevertheless, little emphasis has been brought in the medical literature to research on surgical instrument processing in the medical literature. The present study was done applies an Enhanced Kaizen Event (EKE) in the SPD of a rural hospital to identify sources of waste and minimize non-value-added steps in the SPD processes. The EKE consisted of three successive Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycles, which focused on improvements at the departmental level first, then at an area level, and finally at the station level. The EKE yielded an improved streamlined workflow and a new design for the SPD layout, one of its areas, and a workstation. This paper aims at building a methodology, including identified steps. Results exhibited a 35% reduction in travel distance by the staff, eliminating non-value-added processes, reducing errors in the sterilization process, and eliminating cross-contamination for sterilized materials.
Contributions of Service-Learning on PETE Students’ Effective Personality: A Mixed Methods Research
Authors: Chiva-Bartoll Oscar , Baena-Extremera Antonio , Hortiguela-Alcalá David , Ruiz-Montero Pedro Jesús
Published: November 2020

Service-learning (SL) is a pedagogical model focused on achieving curricular goals while providing a community service. Previous research suggests that SL might promote qualities such as self-esteem, motivation, problem-focused coping, decision-making, empathy, and communication, which are associated with a psychological construct known as students’ Effective Personality (EP). These studies, however, did not specifically analyse the direct effects of SL on this construct. The aim of this study is to explicitly analyse the effect of SL on Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) students’ EP using a mixed methods approach. The quantitative part of the approach followed a quasi-experimental design using the validated “Effective Personality Questionnaire for University Students”, which includes four dimensions: “Academic self-efficacy”, “Social self-realisation”, “Self-esteem”, and “Resolutive self-efficacy”. A non-probabilistic sampling on a total of 181 PETE students was then carried out, with 98 participating in the experimental group (42 male, 56 female), and 83 in the control group (34 male, 49 female). The comparisons revealed significant improvements in the experimental group, especially in the social self-realisation and resolutive self-efficacy dimensions. These findings were complemented by a qualitative analysis of 12 students’ semi-structured interviews. In conclusion, the study reported a positive influence of SL on the PETE students’ EP, providing valuable design patterns for future SL implementations.
Fiscal Expenditures on Science and Technology and Environmental Pollution: Evidence from China
Authors: Xiong Wanfang , Han Yan , Crabbe M. James C. , Yue Xiao-Guang
Published: November 2020

Studying the driving factors of environmental pollution is of great importance for China. Previous literature mainly focused on the cause of national aggregate emission changes. However, research about the effect of fiscal expenditures on science and technology (FESTs) on environmental pollution is rare. Considering the large gap among cities in China, it is necessary to investigate whether and how FESTs affect environmental pollution among cities. We adopted three kinds of typical environmental pollutants including sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, wastewater emission, and atmospheric particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5). Using the data of 260 prefecture-level cities over ten years in China, we found that FESTs play a significantly positive role in reducing sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions and PM2.5 concentrations, but fail to alleviate wastewater emissions. Specifically, for every 1% increase in FESTs, SO2 emissions were reduced by 5.317% and PM2.5 concentrations were reduced by 5.329%. Furthermore, we found that FESTs reduced environmental pollution by impeding fixed asset investments and by promoting research and development activities (R&D). Moreover, the impacts of FESTs on environmental pollution varied across regions and sub-periods. Our results are robust to a series of additional checks, including alternative econometric specifications, generalized method of moments (GMM) analysis and overcoming potential endogeneity with an instrumental variable. Our findings confirm that government efforts can be effective on pollution control in China. Hence, all governments should pay more attention to FESTs for sustainable development and environmental quality improvements.
A Coarse-to-Fine Model for Geolocating Chinese Addresses
Authors: Qian Chunyao , Yi Chao , Cheng Chengqi , Pu Guoliang , Liu Jiashu
Published: November 2020

Address geolocation aims to associate address texts to the geographic locations. In China, due to the increasing demand for LBS applications such as take-out services and express delivery, automatically geolocating the unstructured address information is the key issue that needs to be solved first. Recently, a few approaches have been proposed to automate the address geolocation by directly predicting geographic coordinates. However, such point-based methods ignore the hierarchy information in addresses which may cause poor geolocation performance. In this paper, we propose a hierarchical region-based approach for geolocating Chinese addresses. We model the address geolocation as a Sequence-to-Sequence (Seq2Seq) learning task, that is, the input sequence is a textual address, and the output sequence is a GeoSOT grid code which exactly represents multi-level regions covered by the address. A novel coarse-to-fine model, which combines BERT and LSTM, is designed to learn the task. The experimental results demonstrate that our model correctly understands the Chinese addresses and achieves the highest geolocation accuracy among all the baselines.
COX-2 Is Downregulated in Human Stenotic Aortic Valves and Its Inhibition Promotes Dystrophic Calcification
Authors: Vieceli Dalla Sega Francesco , Fortini Francesca , Cimaglia Paolo , Marracino Luisa , Tonet Elisabetta , Antonucci Antonio , Moscarelli Marco , Campo Gianluca , Rizzo Paola , Ferrari Roberto
Published: November 2020

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is the result of maladaptive fibrocalcific processes leading to a progressive thickening and stiffening of aortic valve (AV) leaflets. CAVD is the most common cause of aortic stenosis (AS). At present, there is no effective pharmacotherapy in reducing CAVD progression; when CAVD becomes symptomatic it can only be treated with valve replacement. Inflammation has a key role in AV pathological remodeling; hence, anti-inflammatory therapy has been proposed as a strategy to prevent CAVD. Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) is a key mediator of the inflammation and it is the target of widely used anti-inflammatory drugs. COX-2-inhibitor celecoxib was initially shown to reduce AV calcification in a murine model. However, in contrast to these findings, a recent retrospective clinical analysis found an association between AS and celecoxib use. In the present study, we investigated whether variations in COX-2 expression levels in human AVs may be linked to CAVD. We extracted total RNA from surgically explanted AVs from patients without CAVD or with CAVD. We found that COX-2 mRNA was higher in non-calcific AVs compared to calcific AVs (0.013 ± 0.002 vs. 0.006 ± 0.0004; p < 0.0001). Moreover, we isolated human aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs) from AVs and found that COX-2 expression is decreased in AVICs from calcific valves compared to AVICs from non-calcific AVs. Furthermore, we observed that COX-2 inhibition with celecoxib induces AVICs trans-differentiation towards a myofibroblast phenotype, and increases the levels of TGF-β-induced apoptosis, both processes able to promote the formation of calcific nodules. We conclude that reduced COX-2 expression is a characteristic of human AVICs prone to calcification and that COX-2 inhibition may promote aortic valve calcification. Our findings support the notion that celecoxib may facilitate CAVD progression.
Peripheral Glycolysis in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Bell Simon M. , Burgess Toby , Lee James , Blackburn Daniel J. , Allen Scott P. , Mortiboys Heather
Published: November 2020

Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of nervous system conditions characterised pathologically by the abnormal deposition of protein throughout the brain and spinal cord. One common pathophysiological change seen in all neurodegenerative disease is a change to the metabolic function of nervous system and peripheral cells. Glycolysis is the conversion of glucose to pyruvate or lactate which results in the generation of ATP and has been shown to be abnormal in peripheral cells in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Changes to the glycolytic pathway are seen early in neurodegenerative disease and highlight how in multiple neurodegenerative conditions pathology is not always confined to the nervous system. In this paper, we review the abnormalities described in glycolysis in the three most common neurodegenerative diseases. We show that in all three diseases glycolytic changes are seen in fibroblasts, and red blood cells, and that liver, kidney, muscle and white blood cells have abnormal glycolysis in certain diseases. We highlight there is potential for peripheral glycolysis to be developed into multiple types of disease biomarker, but large-scale bio sampling and deciphering how glycolysis is inherently altered in neurodegenerative disease in multiple patients’ needs to be accomplished first to meet this aim.
Tumor Necrosis Factor α and Interleukin-1β Acutely Inhibit AgRP Neurons in the Arcuate Nucleus of the Hypothalamus
Authors: Chaves Fernanda M. , Mansano Naira S. , Frazão Renata , Donato Jose
Published: November 2020

Obesity-associated low-grade inflammation favors weight gain, whereas systemic infection frequently leads to anorexia. Thus, inflammatory signals can either induce positive or negative energy balance. In this study, we used whole-cell patch-clamp to investigate the acute effects of three important proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) on the membrane excitability of agouti-related peptide (AgRP)- or proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-producing neurons. We found that both TNF-α and IL-1β acutely inhibited the activity of 35–42% of AgRP-producing neurons, whereas very few POMC neurons were depolarized by TNF-α. Interleukin-6 induced no acute changes in the activity of AgRP or POMC neurons. Our findings indicate that the effect of TNF-α and IL-1β, especially on the activity of AgRP-producing neurons, may contribute to inflammation-induced anorexia observed during acute inflammatory conditions.
Intracerebroventricular Neuropeptide FF Diminishes the Number of Apneas and Cardiovascular Effects Produced by Opioid Receptors’ Activation
Authors: Wojciechowski Piotr , Andrzejewski Kryspin , Kaczyńska Katarzyna
Published: November 2020

The opioid-induced analgesia is associated with a number of side effects such as addiction, tolerance and respiratory depression. The involvement of neuropeptide FF (NPFF) in modulation of pain perception, opioid-induced tolerance and dependence was well documented in contrast to respiratory depression. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the potency of NPFF to block post-opioid respiratory depression, one of the main adverse effects of opioid therapy. Urethane-chloralose anaesthetized Wistar rats were injected either intravenously (iv) or intracerebroventricularly (icv) with various doses of NPFF prior to iv endomorphin-1 (EM-1) administration. Iv NPFF diminished the number of EM-1-induced apneas without affecting their length and without influence on the EM-1 induced blood pressure decline. Icv pretreatment with NPFF abolished the occurrence of post-EM-1 apneas and reduced also the maximal drop in blood pressure and heart rate. These effects were completely blocked by the NPFF receptor antagonist RF9, which was given as a mixture with NPFF before systemic EM-1 administration. In conclusion, our results showed that centrally administered neuropeptide FF is effective in preventing apnea evoked by stimulation of μ-opioid receptors and the effect was due to activation of central NPFF receptors. Our finding indicates a potential target for reversal of opioid-induced respiratory depression.