bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development of a new Japanese version of the Clinical Impairment Assessment Questionnaire
Authors: Horie Takeshi , Hiraide Maiko , Takakura Shu , Hata Tomokazu , Sudo Nobuyuki , Yoshiuchi Kazuhiro 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe Clinical Impairment Assessment questionnaire (CIA) is used to measure the severity of psychosocial impairment in patients with eating disorders. The purpose of the present study was to develop a new Japanese version of the CIA (CIA-J) and to evaluate its reliability and validity.MethodsWe translated the sixteen items of the CIA into Japanese, back-translated them into English, and had them verified by a native English speaking professional editor. Participants were 152 Japanese-speaking patients (30.4 ± 10.6 years) under treatment for eating disorders and 173 healthy controls (29.5 ± 8.3 years). In addition to the CIA-J, the participants were asked to answer the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT26), The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). We performed confirmatory factor analyses to evaluate the factor structure, calculated the Cronbach’s alphas of the CIA-J to assess the reliability, and calculated the correlation coefficients between the CIA-J score and those of EAT26, PANAS, and HADS to assess concurrent validity. We also used a Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Steel-Dwass test to compare the scores of the subtypes of eating disorders and the healthy control group.ResultsA three-factor structure was obtained, similar to the original version. The Cronbach’s alphas of both the global and subscale scores of the CIA-J were high. The CIA-J had significant positive correlations with the EAT26, the negative affect subscale of the PANAS, and the HADS. The global and subscale scores for all subtypes of eating disorders were significantly higher than those of the healthy control group.ConclusionsThe CIA-J was determined to be reliable and valid for assessing the severity of psychosocial impairment in patients with eating disorders.
A real-world study on characteristics, treatments and outcomes in US patients with advanced stage ovarian cancer
Authors: Beachler Daniel C. , Lamy Francois-Xavier , Russo Leo , Taylor Devon H. , Dinh Jade , Yin Ruihua , Jamal-Allial Aziza , Dychter Samuel , Lanes Stephan , Verpillat Patrice 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Background
Detailed epidemiologic descriptions of large populations of advanced stage ovarian cancer patients have been lacking to date. This study aimed to describe the patient characteristics, treatment patterns, survival, and incidence rates of health outcomes of interest (HOI) in a large cohort of advanced stage ovarian cancer patients in the United States (US).

Methods
This cohort study identified incident advanced stage (III/IV) ovarian cancer patients in the US diagnosed from 2010 to 2018 in the HealthCore Integrated Research Database (HIRD) using a validated predictive model algorithm. Descriptive characteristics were presented overall and by treatment line. The incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals for pre-specified HOIs were evaluated after advanced stage diagnosis. Overall survival, time to treatment discontinuation or death (TTD), and time to next treatment or death (TTNT) were defined using treatment information in claims and linkage with the National Death Index.

Results
We identified 12,659 patients with incident advanced stage ovarian cancer during the study period. Most patients undergoing treatment received platinum agents (75%) and/or taxanes (70%). The most common HOIs (> 24 per 100 person-years) included abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, anemia, and serious infections. The median overall survival from diagnosis was 4.5 years, while approximately half of the treated cohort had a first-line time to treatment discontinuation or death (TTD) within the first 4 months, and a time to next treatment or death (TTNT) from first to second-line of about 6 months.

Conclusions
This study describes commercially insured US patients with advanced stage ovarian cancer from 2010 to 2018, and observed diverse treatment patterns, incidence of numerous HOIs, and limited survival in this population.
Comparison of conventional, burst and high-frequency spinal cord stimulation on pain relief in refractory failed back surgery syndrome patients: study protocol for a prospective randomized double-blinded cross-over trial (MULTIWAVE study)
Authors: Billot Maxime , Naiditch Nicolas , Brandet Claire , Lorgeoux Bertille , Baron Sandrine , Ounajim Amine , Roulaud Manuel , Roy-Moreau Aline , de Montgazon Géraldine , Charrier Elodie , Misbert Lorraine , Maillard Benjamin , Vendeuvre Tanguy , Rigoard Philippe 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundWhile the evolution of technology provides new opportunities to manage chronic refractory pain using different waveform modalities of spinal cord stimulation in failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), there is no randomized controlled trial available to compare the efficacy of these different stimulations waveforms to date. MULTIWAVE is a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, crossover trial study designed to compare the clinical efficacy of tonic conventional stimulation (TCS), burst stimulation (BURST) and high-frequency stimulation (HF) in FBSS patients over a 15-month period in SCS implanted patients.Methods/designTwenty-eight patients will be recruited in the Poitiers University Hospital, in Niort and La Rochelle Hospitals in France. Eligible patients with post-operative low back and leg pain with an average visual analog scale (VAS) score ≥ 5 for low back pain are implanted and randomly assigned to one of the six arms (in a 1:1:1:1:1:1 ratio), where they receive a 3-month combination of TCS, BURST and HF including one treatment modality per month and varying the order of the modality received within the six possible combinations. Patients receiving intrathecal drug delivery, peripheral nerve stimulation and back resurgery related to the original back pain complaint and experimental therapies are excluded from this study. Patients included in the spinal cord stimulation group undergo trial stimulation, and they all receive a TCS treatment for 2 months, as the gold standard modality. Thereafter, patients are randomly assigned to one of the six arms for the total duration of 3-month crossover period. Then, patients choose their preferred stimulation modality (TCS, BURST, or HF) for the follow-up period of 12 months. Outcome assessments are performed at baseline (first implant), before randomization (2 months after baseline) and at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 15 months post-randomization. Our primary outcome is the average global VAS of pain over 5-day pain diary period between baseline and after each period of stimulation. Additional outcomes include changes in leg and back pain intensity, functional disability, quality of life, psychological state, paraesthesia intensity perception, patient satisfaction and the number of adverse events.DiscussionRecruitment began in February 2017 and will continue through 2019.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.govNCT03014583. Registered on 9 January 2017.
Prediction of RECRUITment In randomized clinical Trials (RECRUIT-IT)—rationale and design for an international collaborative study
Authors: Kasenda Benjamin , Liu Junhao , Jiang Yu , Gajewski Byron , Wu Cen , von Elm Erik , Schandelmaier Stefan , Moffa Giusi , Trelle Sven , Schmitt Andreas Michael , Herbrand Amanda K. , Gloy Viktoria , Speich Benjamin , Hopewell Sally , Hemkens Lars G. , Sluka Constantin , McGill Kris , Meade Maureen , Cook Deborah , Lamontagne Francois , Tréluyer Jean-Marc , Haidich Anna-Bettina , Ioannidis John P. A. , Treweek Shaun , Briel Matthias 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundPoor recruitment of patients is the predominant reason for early termination of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Systematic empirical investigations and validation studies of existing recruitment models, however, are lacking. We aim to provide evidence-based guidance on how to predict and monitor recruitment of patients into RCTs. Our specific objectives are the following: (1) to establish a large sample of RCTs (targetn = 300) with individual patient recruitment data from a large variety of RCTs, (2) to investigate participant recruitment patterns and study site recruitment patterns and their association with the overall recruitment process, (3) to investigate the validity of a freely available recruitment model, and (4) to develop a user-friendly tool to assist trial investigators in the planning and monitoring of the recruitment process.MethodsEligible RCTs need to have completed the recruitment process, used a parallel group design, and investigated any healthcare intervention where participants had the free choice to participate. To establish the planned sample of RCTs, we will use our contacts to national and international RCT networks, clinical trial units, and individual trial investigators. From included RCTs, we will collect patient-level information (date of randomization), site-level information (date of trial site activation), and trial-level information (target sample size). We will examine recruitment patterns using recruitment trajectories and stratifications by RCT characteristics. We will investigate associations of early recruitment patterns with overall recruitment by correlation and multivariable regression. To examine the validity of a freely available Bayesian prediction model, we will compare model predictions to collected empirical data of included RCTs. Finally, we will user-test any promising tool using qualitative methods for further tool improvement.DiscussionThis research will contribute to a better understanding of participant recruitment to RCTs, which could enhance efficiency and reduce the waste of resources in clinical research with a comprehensive, concerted, international effort.
Identification of blood-feeding sources in Panstrongylus, Psammolestes, Rhodnius and Triatoma using amplicon-based next-generation sequencing
Authors: Arias-Giraldo Luisa M. , Muñoz Marina , Hernández Carolina , Herrera Giovanny , Velásquez-Ortiz Natalia , Cantillo-Barraza Omar , Urbano Plutarco , Cuervo Andrés , Ramírez Juan David 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Background
Triatomines are hematophagous insects that play an important role as vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. These insects have adapted to multiple blood-feeding sources that can affect relevant aspects of their life-cycle and interactions, thereby influencing parasitic transmission dynamics. We conducted a characterization of the feeding sources of individuals from the primary circulating triatomine genera in Colombia using amplicon-based next-generation sequencing (NGS).

Methods
We used 42 triatomines collected in different departments of Colombia. DNA was extracted from the gut. The presence of T. cruzi was identified using real-time PCR, and discrete typing units (DTUs) were determined by conventional PCR. For blood-feeding source identification, PCR products of the vertebrate 12S rRNA gene were obtained and sequenced by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Blood-meal sources were inferred using blastn against a curated reference dataset containing the 12S rRNA sequences belonging to vertebrates with a distribution in South America that represent a potential feeding source for triatomine bugs. Mean and median comparison tests were performed to evaluate differences in triatomine blood-feeding sources, infection state, and geographical regions. Lastly, the inverse Simpsonʼs diversity index was calculated.

Results
The overall frequency of T. cruzi infection was 83.3%. TcI was found as the most predominant DTU (65.7%). A total of 67 feeding sources were detected from the analyses of approximately 7 million reads. The predominant feeding source found was Homo sapiens (76.8%), followed by birds (10.5%), artiodactyls (4.4%), and non-human primates (3.9%). There were differences among numerous feeding sources of triatomines of different species. The diversity of feeding sources also differed depending on the presence of T. cruzi.

Conclusions
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to employ amplicon-based NGS of the 12S rRNA gene to depict blood-feeding sources of multiple triatomine species collected in different regions of Colombia. Our findings report a striking read diversity that has not been reported previously. This is a powerful approach to unravel transmission dynamics at microgeographical levels.
Intervening upregulated SLC7A5 could mitigate inflammatory mediator by mTOR-P70S6K signal in rheumatoid arthritis synoviocytes
Authors: Xu Jing , Jiang Congshan , Cai Yongsong , Guo Yuanxu , Wang Xipeng , Zhang Jiaxiang , Xu Jiawen , Xu Ke , Zhu Wenhua , Wang Si , Zhang Fujun , Geng Manman , Han Yan , Ning Qilan , Xu Peng , Meng Liesu , Lu Shemin 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Objective
The disruption of metabolic events and changes to nutrient and oxygen availability due to sustained inflammation in RA increases the demand of bioenergetic and biosynthetic processes within the damaged tissue. The current study aimed to understand the molecular mechanisms of SLC7A5 (amino acid transporter) in synoviocytes of RA patients.

Methods
Synovial tissues were obtained from OA and RA patients. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) were isolated, and SLC7A5 expression was examined by using RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting. RNAi and antibody blocking treatments were used to knockdown SLC7A5 expression or to block its transporter activities. mTOR activity assay and MMP expression levels were monitored in RA FLS under amino acid deprivation or nutrient-rich conditions.

Results
RA FLS displayed significantly upregulated expression of SLC7A5 compared to OA FLS. Cytokine IL-1β was found to play a crucial role in upregulating SLC7A5 expression via the NF-κB pathway. Intervening SLC7A5 expression with RNAi or blocking its function by monoclonal antibody ameliorated MMP3 and MMP13 protein expression. Conversely, upregulation of SLC7A5 or tryptophan supplementation enhanced mTOR-P70S6K signals which promoted the protein translation of MMP3 and MMP13 in RA FLS.

Conclusion
Activated NF-κB pathway upregulates SLC7A5, which enhances the mTOR-P70S6K activity and MMP3 and MMP13 expression in RA FLS.
Severity and mortality of COVID 19 in patients with diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis
Authors: de Almeida-Pititto Bianca , Dualib Patrícia M. , Zajdenverg Lenita , Dantas Joana Rodrigues , de Souza Filipe Dias , Rodacki Melanie , Bertoluci Marcello Casaccia ,   Brazilian Diabetes Society Study Group (SBD)
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Background
The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ACEI/ARB) with severity (invasive mechanical ventilation or intensive care unit admission or O2 saturation < 90%) and mortality of COVID-19 cases.

Methods
Systematic review of the PubMed, Cochrane Library and SciELO databases was performed to identify relevant articles published from December 2019 to 6th May 2020. Forty articles were included involving 18.012 COVID-19 patients.

Results
The random-effect meta-analysis showed that diabetes mellitus and hypertension were moderately associated respectively with severity and mortality for COVID-19: Diabetes [OR 2.35 95% CI 1.80–3.06 and OR 2.50 95% CI 1.74–3.59] Hypertension: [OR 2.98 95% CI 2.37–3.75 and OR 2.88 (2.22–3.74)]. Cardiovascular disease was strongly associated with both severity and mortality, respectively [OR 4.02 (2.76–5.86) and OR 6.34 (3.71–10.84)]. On the contrary, the use of ACEI/ARB, was not associate with severity of COVID-19.

Conclusion
In conclusion, diabetes, hypertension and especially cardiovascular disease, are important risk factors for severity and mortality in COVID-19 infected people and are targets that must be intensively addressed in the management of this infection.
First European report of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica isolation from a domestic cat
Authors: Kittl Sonja , Francey Thierry , Brodard Isabelle , Origgi Francesco C. , Borel Stéphanie , Ryser-Degiorgis Marie-Pierre , Schweighauser Ariane , Jores Joerg 
Published: August 2020

AbstractFrancisella tularensis subsp. holarctica is a select agent causing life-threatening tularemia. It has been isolated from humans and animals, mainly lagomorphs and rodents, rarely other wild carnivore species. Increasing numbers of human tularemia cases have been reported during the last 5 years in Switzerland. Here we report the first isolation of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica from a domestic cat in Europe and compare its genome sequence with other Swiss isolates. The cat isolate shows a close phylogenetic relationship with a contemporary hare isolate from close geographic proximity, indicating a possible epidemiological link.
Bi-adjusting duty cycle for green communications in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Li Guopeng , Li Fufang , Wang Tian , Gui Jinsong , Zhang Shaobo 
Published: August 2020

AbstractGreen communications is a challenging issue for communications and networking. In order to save energy, nodes of the wireless sensor networks (WSNs) usually adopt the low duty cycle mode which brings a large delay to the event detection and data transmission to the sink and deteriorates the network’s timely processing of the event. In this paper, bi-adjusting duty cycle schedule (BADCS) scheme is proposed to reduce event detection latency as well as data routing delay for low duty cycle wireless sensor networks. BADCS scheme consists mainly of two duty cycle adjustment algorithms: (a) active slot asynchronous adjustment algorithm for nodes in the same sensing area; (b) the continuous adjustment algorithm for two adjacent nodes on the routing path with one active slot interval. Specifically, the operations are 2-fold. First, perform asynchronous operations on the active slots of the nodes in the same sensing area, so that the active slots of the nodes in the same sensing area are distributed as evenly as possible without overlapping. In this way, it is possible to reduce the latency by the time the event is perceived after its occurrence. Secondly, active slots of the nodes on the routing path are adjusted to be with pipeline style, so that when the nodes receive the data packet, they can route through the continuous active slots, thus greatly reducing the delay of data routing. Two adjustment algorithms of active slot are given in detail in this paper. The performance of BADCS mode is discussed in detail, and its performance is better than the previous strategy. Comprehensive experiments are conducted, and the results demonstrate that the proposed BADCS scheme significantly improves event detection performance in terms of detection latency, detection probability, and routing delay. Detection delay and routing delay are reduced as high as 3.91% and 56.22% respectively.
Solving the Riesz–Feller space-fractional backward diffusion problem by a generalized Tikhonov method
Authors: Zhang Hongwu , Zhang Xiaoju 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe article investigates a Riesz–Feller space-fractional backward diffusion problem. We develop a generalized Tikhonov regularization method to overcome the ill-posedness of this problem, and then based on the result of conditional stability, we derive the convergence estimates of logarithmic and double logarithmic types for the regularized method by adopting a-posteriori choice rules of regularization parameter. Finally, by using the finite difference method, we solve a direct problem to construct the data, and some corresponding results of numerical simulations are presented to verify the convergence and stability for this method.
Azithromycin resistant gonococci: a literature review
Authors: Derbie Awoke , Mekonnen Daniel , Woldeamanuel Yimtubezinash , Abebe Tamrat 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Objective
Gonorrhea is the second most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection (STI) next to Chlamydia. Untreated cases could results in major complications like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), ectopic pregnancy, infertility, miscarriage, fetal death and congenital infections. Gonorrhea has been treated with antibiotics for more than eight decades. However, the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in gonococcus seriously compromises the management of the disease. The aim of this review was to describe the current developments in the field of azithromycin resistant gonococci.

Methods
Literatures published in English in the last 10 years were retrieved from PubMed, SCOPUS, Google scholar, Cochrane library and the Google databases using relevant searching terms.

Results
Gonococcus is capable of using a number of strategies to confer resistance as the bacterium has an extraordinary capacity to alter its genome. So far the accumulated data on the field showed that the world is heading towards a pandemic of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) gonococcus which is now seems to be evolving into a true “superbug”. Hence, in the near future gonorrhea may become untreatable on the international basis unless new drugs become available.
An antibiotic resistance in gonococcus has been noted beginning in 1940s against sulfonamides. Since then, resistance has rapidly emerged to penicillins, tetracyclines, macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and cephalosporins. Currently, in most nations, the injectable extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC), i.e. ceftriaxone based therapy is the only remaining option for gonorrhea. Based on the WHO and the US-CDC recommendations, countries are increasingly using a combination of cephalosporin and azithromycin for the treatment of gonorrhoea. Azithromycin revolutionized gonoccocal therapy as it shortened treatment time by more than half from 7 to 14 days and improved patient compliance due to high tissue levels and long half-life. However, constantly emerging reports from different parts of the globe showed that N. gonorrhoeae is developing significant level of resistance against azithromycin, and so far more than 33% level of resistance was reported. Two strategies have been commonly implicated in gonococcal resistance against azithromycin: over expression of an efflux pump (due to mutations at mtrR coding region) and decreased antimicrobial affinity (due to mutations in genes encoding the 23S ribosomal subunit).

Conclusions
With no alternative antimicrobial treatment options for gonorrhoea and only a few new drugs in the development pipeline, it is necessary to monitor drug resistance and optimize treatment regimens regularly. Moreover, investigations for novel drugs should be wired.