bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sparse multi-output Gaussian processes for online medical time series prediction
Authors: Cheng Li-Fang , Dumitrascu Bianca , Darnell Gregory , Chivers Corey , Draugelis Michael , Li Kai , Engelhardt Barbara E 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundFor real-time monitoring of hospital patients, high-quality inference of patients’ health status using all information available from clinical covariates and lab test results is essential to enable successful medical interventions and improve patient outcomes. Developing a computational framework that can learn from observational large-scale electronic health records (EHRs) and make accurate real-time predictions is a critical step. In this work, we develop and explore a Bayesian nonparametric model based on multi-output Gaussian process (GP) regression for hospital patient monitoring.MethodsWe propose MedGP, a statistical framework that incorporates 24 clinical covariates and supports a rich reference data set from which relationships between observed covariates may be inferred and exploited for high-quality inference of patient state over time. To do this, we develop a highly structured sparse GP kernel to enable tractable computation over tens of thousands of time points while estimating correlations among clinical covariates, patients, and periodicity in patient observations. MedGP has a number of benefits over current methods, including (i) not requiring an alignment of the time series data, (ii) quantifying confidence regions in the predictions, (iii) exploiting a vast and rich database of patients, and (iv) inferring interpretable relationships among clinical covariates.ResultsWe evaluate and compare results from MedGP on the task of online prediction for three patient subgroups from two medical data sets across 8,043 patients. We find MedGP improves online prediction over baseline and state-of-the-art methods for nearly all covariates across different disease subgroups and hospitals.ConclusionsThe MedGP framework is robust and efficient in estimating the temporal dependencies from sparse and irregularly sampled medical time series data for online prediction. The publicly available code is athttps://github.com/bee-hive/MedGP.
Community-based adherence clubs for postpartum women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Cape Town, South Africa: a pilot study
Authors: Zerbe Allison , Brittain Kirsty , Phillips Tamsin K. , Iyun Victoria O. , Allerton Joanna , Nofemela Andile , Kalombo Cathy D. , Myer Landon , Abrams Elaine J. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Background
With an increasing number of countries implementing Option B+ guidelines of lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all pregnant and breastfeeding women, there is urgent need to identify effective approaches for retaining this growing and highly vulnerable population in ART care.

Methods
Newly postpartum, breastfeeding women who initiated ART in pregnancy and met eligibility criteria were enrolled, and offered the choice of two options for postpartum ART care: (i) referral to existing network of community-based adherence clubs or (ii) referral to local primary health care clinic (PHC). Women were followed at study measurement visits conducted separately from either service. Primary outcome was a composite endpoint of retention in ART services and viral suppression [VS < 50 copies/mL based on viral load (VL) testing at measurement visits] at 12 months postpartum. Outcomes were compared across postpartum services using chi-square, Fisher’s exact tests and Poisson regression models. The primary outcome was compared across services where women were receiving care at 12 months postpartum in exploratory analyses.

Results
Between February and September 2015, 129 women (median age: 28.9 years; median time postpartum: 10 days) were enrolled with 65% opting to receive postpartum HIV care through an adherence club. Among 110 women retained at study measurement visits, 91 (83%) achieved the composite endpoint, with no difference between those who originally chose clubs versus those who chose PHC services. Movement from an adherence club to PHC services was common: 31% of women who originally chose clubs and were engaged in care at 12 months postpartum were attending a PHC service. Further, levels of VS differed significantly by where women were accessing ART care at 12 months postpartum, regardless of initial choice: 98% of women receiving care in an adherence club and 76% receiving care at PHC had VS < 50 copies/mL at 12 months postpartum (p = 0.001).

Conclusion
This study found comparable outcomes related to retention and VS at 12 months postpartum between women choosing adherence clubs and those choosing PHC. However, movement between postpartum services among those who originally chose adherence clubs was common, with poorer VS outcomes among women leaving clubs and returning to PHC services.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02417675, April 16, 2015 (retrospectively registered).
Tea polyphenols attenuate liver inflammation by modulating obesity-related genes and down-regulating COX-2 and iNOS expression in high fat-fed dogs
Authors: Rahman Sajid Ur , Huang Yingying , Zhu Lei , Chu Xiaoyan , Junejo Shahid Ahmed , Zhang Yafei , Khan Ibrar Muhammad , Li Yu , Feng Shibin , Wu Jinjie , Wang Xichun 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Background
Tea polyphenols (TPs) attenuate obesity related liver inflammation; however, the anti-obesity effects and anti-inflammatory mechanisms are not clearly understood. This study aimed to determine whether the anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory TPs mechanisms associated with cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression levels, and obesity-related gene response in dogs.

Results
Dogs fed TPs displayed significantly decreased (p < 0.01) mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) compared to dogs that consumed high-fat diet (HFD) alone. TPs significantly (p < 0.01) inhibited COX-2 and iNOS expression level, and decreased liver fat content and degeneration.

Conclusion
These results suggested that TPs act as a therapeutic agent for obesity, liver inflammation, and fat degeneration via COX-2 and iNOS inhibition, with TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 involvement.
TMPO-AS1 promotes cell proliferation of thyroid cancer via sponging miR-498 to modulate TMPO
Authors: Li Zhenyu , Feng Yun , Zhang Zhen , Cao Xiaozhong , Lu Xiubo 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundThyroid cancer (TC) is the most frequent endocrine malignancy. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been confirmed to act as significant roles in tumor development. The role of lncRNA TMPO-AS1 in TC is still unclear, so it remains to be explored. The aim of the research is to investigate the role and regulatory mechanism of TMPO-AS1 in TC.MethodsTMPO-AS1 and TMPO expression in TC tumors and cells was detected by TCGA database and QRT-PCR assay respectively. CCK-8, EDU, TUNEL and western blot assays were conducted to identify the biological functions of TMPO-AS1 in TC. Luciferase reporter and RNA pull down assays were conducted to measure the interaction among TMPO-AS1, TMPO and miR-498.ResultsTMPO-AS1 was overexpressed in TC tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of TMPO-AS1 suppressed cell growth and accelerated cell apoptosis in TC. Furthermore, downregulation of TMPO-AS1 suppressed TMPO expression in TC. The data suggested that TMPO expression was upregulated in TC tissues and cell lines and was positively correlated with TMPO-AS1 expression in TC. Furthermore, the expression of miR-498 presented low expression in TC cells. And miR-498 expression was negatively regulated by TMPO-AS1, meanwhile, TMPO expression was negatively regulated by miR-498 in TC cells. Besides, it was confirmed that TMPO-AS1 could bind with miR-498 and TMPO in TC cells. In addition, it was validated that TMPO-AS1 elevated the levels of TMPO via sponging miR-498 in TC cells.ConclusionsTMPO-AS1 promotes cell proliferation in TC via sponging miR-498 to modulate TMPO.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Circ-DENND4C up-regulates
TCF4 expression to modulate hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and apoptosis via
activating Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway
Authors: Liu Xialei , Yang Lewei , Jiang Dong , Lu Wuzhu , Zhang Yongyu 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor in China.
Advanced treatment like transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has
prolonged the lives of many HCC patients. However, the prognosis of most HCC patients
remains unsatisfactory. Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been gradually
unveiled to exert considerable functions in cancer. Promising circRNAs in HCC remains
to be further elucidated.

Methods
Gene expression was assessed by qRT-PCR and western blot. The function
of circ-DENND4C in HCC was estimated by both in vitro and in vivo experiments. The
location of circ-DENND4C in HCC cells was determined by subcellular fractionation and
FISH assays. The association among molecules were analyzed through RNA pull down, RIP
and luciferase reporter assays.

Results
circ-DENND4C (DENN domain containing 4C), an oncogene identified in
breast cancer, was overexpressed in HCC cells. Also, circ-DENND4C exerted pro-tumor
functions in HCC through activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Importantly, circ-DENND4C
could augment transcription factor 4 (TCF4) expression to activate Wnt/β-catenin
signaling via sequestering miR-195-5p. Moreover, following rescue assays disclosed
that circ-DENND4C mediated malignant phenotypes in HCC cells via up-regulating TCF4
through sponging miR-195-5p.

Conclusion
circ-DENND4C boosted TCF4 expression to modulate malignant behaviors of
HCC cells via activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which might offer a promising target
for HCC treatment.
Socioeconomic differences in caesarean section – are they explained by medical need? An analysis of patient record data of a large Kenyan hospital
Authors: van der Spek Lisa , Sanglier Sterre , Mabeya Hillary M. , van den Akker Thomas , Mertens Paul L. J. M. , Houweling Tanja A. J. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Background
Caesarean section (C-section) rates are often low among the poor and very high among the better-off in low- and middle-income countries. We examined to what extent these differences are explained by medical need in an African context.

Methods
We analyzed electronic records of 12,209 women who gave birth in a teaching hospital in Kenya in 2014. C-section rates were calculated by socioeconomic position (SEP), using maternal occupation (professional, small business, housewife, student) as indicator. We assessed if women had documented clinical indications according to hospital guidelines and if socioeconomic differences in C-section rates were explained by indication.

Results
Indication for C-section according to hospital guidelines was more prevalent among professionals than housewives (16% vs. 9% of all births). The C-section rate was also higher among professionals than housewives (21.1% vs. 15.8% [OR 1.43; 95%CI 1.23–1.65]). This C-section rate difference was largely explained by indication (4.7 of the 5.3 percentage point difference between professionals and housewives concerned indicated C-sections, often with previous C-section as indication). Repeat C-sections were near-universal (99%). 43% of primary C-sections had no documented indication. Over-use was somewhat higher among professionals than housewives (C-section rate among women without indication: 6.6 and 5.5% respectively), which partly explained socioeconomic differences in primary C-section rate.

Conclusions
Socioeconomic differences in C-section rates can be largely explained by unnecessary primary C-sections and higher supposed need due to previous C-section. Prevention of unnecessary primary C-sections and promoting safe trial of labor should be priorities in addressing C-section over-use and reducing inequalities.

Tweetable abstract
Unnecessary primary C-sections and ubiquitous repeat C-sections drive overall C-section rates and C-section inequalities.
The safety of health care for ethnic minority patients: a systematic review
Authors: Chauhan Ashfaq , Walton Merrilyn , Manias Elizabeth , Walpola Ramesh Lahiru , Seale Holly , Latanik Monika , Leone Desiree , Mears Stephen , Harrison Reema 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Introduction
Evidence to date indicates that patients from ethnic minority backgrounds may experience disparity in the quality and safety of health care they receive due to a range of socio-cultural factors. Although heightened risk of patient safety events is of key concern, there is a dearth of evidence regarding the nature and rate of patient safety events occurring amongst ethnic minority consumers, which is critical for the development of relevant intervention approaches to enhance the safety of their care.

Objectives
To establish how ethnic minority populations are conceptualised in the international literature, and the implications of this in shaping of our findings; the evidence of patient safety events arising among ethnic minority healthcare consumers internationally; and the individual, service and system factors that contribute to unsafe care.

Method
A systematic review of five databases (MEDLINE, PUBMED, PsycINFO, EMBASE and CINAHL) were undertaken using subject headings (MeSH) and keywords to identify studies relevant to our objectives. Inclusion criteria were applied independently by two researchers. A narrative synthesis was undertaken due to heterogeneity of the study designs of included studies followed by a study appraisal process.

Results
Forty-five studies were included in this review. Findings indicate that: (1) those from ethnic minority backgrounds were conceptualised variably; (2) people from ethnic minority backgrounds had higher rates of hospital acquired infections, complications, adverse drug events and dosing errors when compared to the wider population; and (3) factors including language proficiency, beliefs about illness and treatment, formal and informal interpreter use, consumer engagement, and interactions with health professionals contributed to increased risk of safety events amongst these populations.

Conclusion
Ethnic minority consumers may experience inequity in the safety of care and be at higher risk of patient safety events. Health services and systems must consider the individual, inter- and intra-ethnic variations in the nature of safety events to understand the where and how to invest resource to enhance equity in the safety of care.

Review registration
This systematic review is registered with Research Registry: reviewregistry761.
Developing pathways for community-led research with big data: a content analysis of stakeholder interviews
Authors: Grayson Shira , Doerr Megan , Yu Joon-Ho 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Background
Big data (BD) informs nearly every aspect of our lives and, in health research, is the foundation for basic discovery and its tailored translation into healthcare. Yet, as new data resources and citizen/patient-led science movements offer sites of innovation, segments of the population with the lowest health status are least likely to engage in BD research either as intentional data contributors or as ‘citizen/community scientists’. Progress is being made to include a more diverse spectrum of research participants in datasets and to encourage inclusive and collaborative engagement in research through community-based participatory research approaches, citizen/patient-led research pilots and incremental research policy changes. However, additional evidence-based policies are needed at the organisational, community and national levels to strengthen capacity-building and widespread adoption of these approaches to ensure that the translation of research is effectively used to improve health and health equity. The aims of this study are to capture uses of BD (‘use cases’) from the perspectives of community leaders and to identify needs and barriers for enabling community-led BD science.

Methods
We conducted a qualitative content analysis of semi-structured key informant interviews with 16 community leaders.

Results
Based on our analysis findings, we developed a BD Engagement Model illustrating the pathways and various forces for and against community engagement in BD research.

Conclusions
The goal of our Model is to promote concrete, transparent dialogue between communities and researchers about barriers and facilitators of authentic community-engaged BD research. Findings from this study will inform the subsequent phases of a multi-phased project with the ultimate aims of organising fundable frameworks and identifying policy options to support BD projects within community settings.
The diabetic microenvironment causes mitochondrial oxidative stress in glomerular endothelial cells and pathological crosstalk with podocytes
Authors: Casalena Gabriella A. , Yu Liping , Gil Roberto , Rodriguez Samuel , Sosa Shantel , Janssen William , Azeloglu Evren U. , Leventhal Jeremy S. , Daehn Ilse S. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Background
In the setting of diabetes mellitus, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are important pathogenic mechanisms causing end organ damage, including diabetic kidney disease (DKD), but mechanistic understanding at a cellular level remains obscure. In mouse models of DKD, glomerular endothelial cell (GEC) dysfunction precedes albuminuria and contributes to neighboring podocyte dysfunction, implicating GECs in breakdown of the glomerular filtration barrier. In the following studies we wished to explore the cellular mechanisms by which GECs become dysfunctional in the diabetic milieu, and the impact to neighboring podocytes.

Methods
Mouse GECs were exposed to high glucose media (HG) or 2.5% v/v serum from diabetic mice or serum from non-diabetic controls, and evaluated for mitochondrial function (oxygen consumption), structure (electron microscopy), morphology (mitotracker), mitochondrial superoxide (mitoSOX), as well as accumulation of oxidized products (DNA lesion frequency (8-oxoG, endo-G), double strand breaks (γ-H2AX), endothelial function (NOS activity), autophagy (LC3) and apoptotic cell death (Annexin/PI; caspase 3). Supernatant transfer experiments from GECs to podocytes were performed to establish the effects on podocyte survival and transwell experiments were performed to determine the effects in co-culture.

Results
Diabetic serum specifically causes mitochondrial dysfunction and mitochondrial superoxide release in GECs. There is a rapid oxidation of mitochondrial DNA and loss of mitochondrial biogenesis without cell death. Many of these effects are blocked by mitoTEMPO a selective mitochondrial anti-oxidant. Secreted factors from dysfunctional GECs were sufficient to cause podocyte apoptosis in supernatant transfer experiments, or in co-culture but this did not occur when GECs had been previously treated with mitoTEMPO.

Conclusion
Dissecting the impact of the diabetic environment on individual cell-types from the kidney glomerulus indicates that GECs become dysfunctional and pathological to neighboring podocytes by increased levels of mitochondrial superoxide in GEC. These studies indicate that GEC-signaling to podocytes contributes to the loss of the glomerular filtration barrier in DKD.

Graphical abstract
The brains of aged mice are characterized by altered tissue diffusion properties and cerebral microbleeds
Authors: Taylor Erik N. , Huang Nasi , Wisco Jonathan , Wang Yandan , Morgan Kathleen G. , Hamilton James A. 
Published: July 2020

Abstract
Background
Brain aging is a major risk factor in the progression of cognitive diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia. We investigated a mouse model of brain aging up to 24 months old (mo).

Methods
A high field (11.7T) MRI protocol was developed to characterize specific features of brain aging including the presence of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), morphology of grey and white matter, and tissue diffusion properties. Mice were selected from age categories of either young (3 mo), middle-aged (18 mo), or old (24 mo) and fed normal chow over the duration of the study. Mice were imaged in vivo with multimodal MRI, including conventional T2-weighted (T2W) and T2*-weighted (T2*W) imaging, followed by ex vivo diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and T2*W MR-microscopy to enhance the detection of microstructural features.

Results
Structural changes observed in the mouse brain with aging included reduced cortical grey matter volume and enlargement of the brain ventricles. A remarkable age-related change in the brains was the development of CMBs found starting at 18 mo and increasing in total volume at 24 mo, primarily in the thalamus. CMBs presence was confirmed with high resolution ex vivo MRI and histology. DWI detected further brain tissue changes in the aged mice including reduced fractional anisotropy, increased radial diffusion, increased mean diffusion, and changes in the white matter fibers visualized by color-coded tractography, including around a large cortical CMB.

Conclusions
The mouse is a valuable model of age-related vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). In composite, these methods and results reveal brain aging in older mice as a multifactorial process including CMBs and tissue diffusion alterations that can be well characterized by high field MRI.
Count data regression modeling: an application to spontaneous abortion
Authors: Verma Prashant , Swain Prafulla Kumar , Singh Kaushalendra Kumar , Khetan Mukti 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundIn India, around 20,000 women die every year due to abortion-related complications. In count data modeling, there is sometimes a prevalence of zero counts. This article is concerned with the estimation of various count regression models to predict the average number of spontaneous abortions among women in Punjab and few northern states in India. The study also assesses the factors associated with the number of spontaneous abortions.MethodsThis study includes 27,173 married women of Punjab obtained from the DLHS-4 survey (2012–13) to train the count models. The study predicts the average number of spontaneous abortions using various count regression models, and also identifies the determinants affecting the spontaneous abortions. Further, the best model is validated with other northern states of India using the latest data (NFHS-4, 2015–16).ResultsStatistical comparisons among four estimation methods reveals that the ZINB model provides the best prediction for the number of spontaneous abortions. The study suggests total children born to a woman, antenatal care (ANC) place, place of residence, woman’s education, and economic status are the most significant factors affecting the instance of spontaneous abortion.ConclusionsThis article offers a practical demonstration of techniques designed to handle count outcome variables. The statistical comparisons among four estimation models revealed that the ZINB model provides the best prediction for the number of spontaneous abortions, and it suggests policymakers to use this model to predict the number of spontaneous abortions. The study recommends promoting higher education among women in Punjab and other northern states of India. It also suggests that women must receive institutional antenatal care and have a limited number of children.