bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of End-to-Side Hand-Sewn and Side-to-Side Stapled Cervical Esophagogastric Anastomosis in Patients with Lower Thoracic Esophageal Cancer Undergoing Transhiatal Esophagectomy: An Iranian Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Rasihashemi Seyed Ziaeddin , Ramouz Ali , Beheshtirouy Samad , Amini Hassan 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background: Controversies in terms of efficacy and postoperative advantages surround stapled esophagogastric anastomosis compared with the hand-sewn technique as a treatment for patients with esophageal cancer. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of hand-sewn end-to-side esophago-gastrostomy and side-to-side stapled cervical esophagogastric anastomosis after esophagectomy for the aforementioned patients. Methods: This retrospective cohort study involved examining the medical records of 433 patients who underwent transhiatal esophagectomy for esophageal cancer from March 2010 to March 2016. All the patients were operated using end-to-side hand-sewn esophago-gastrostomy and side-to-side stapled cervical esophagogastric anastomosis. 409 of the patients received a year’s worth of follow-up evaluations. All the cases were revisited in two weeks as well as in four, eight, and 12 months after surgery. The patients were assessed in terms of postoperative outcomes, including reflux symptoms, anastomotic leakage and stricture, and the need for anastomotic dilatation. Results: Hand-sewn anastomosis was carried out in 271 (62.5%) patients, whereas stapled anastomosis was performed in 162 (37.4%) patients. The mean operative times were 214.46±84.33 min and 250.55±43.31 min for the stapled and hand-sewn anastomosis groups, respectively (P = 0.028). The two groups showed no significant differences with respect to stays in intensive care units and hospitals. Postoperatively, 38 (14.67%) cases of anastomotic leakage were detected in the hand-sewn anastomosis group, with incidence being significantly higher than that in the stapled anastomosis group (8 cases or 5.33%; P = 0.002). Anastomotic stricture occurred less frequently in the patients who underwent stapled anastomosis (P = 0.004). Within the one-year follow-up period, the patients treated via hand-sewn anastomosis more frequently required anastomotic dilatation (P = 0.02). Conclusion: Side-to-side stapled cervical esophagogastric anastomosis may reduce operation times and decrease the rates of anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stricture, and anastomotic dilatation in patients with lower thoracic esophageal cancer undergoing transhiatal esophagectomy.
Gender differences in the efficacy of pioglitazone treatment in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients with abnormal glucose metabolism
Authors: Wang Liu , Wu Weiyun , Chang Xinxia , Xia Mingfeng , Gao Jian , Yan Hongmei 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background: Pioglitazone is a promising therapeutic method for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients with or without type 2 diabetes. However, there is remarkable variability in treatment response. We analyzed our previous randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of gender and other factors on the efficacy of pioglitazone in treating Chinese nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients with abnormal glucose metabolism.Methods: This is a post hoc analysis of a previous randomized, parallel controlled, open-label clinical trial (RCT)* with an original purpose of evaluating the efficacy of berberine and pioglitazone on NAFLD. The total population (n= 185) was randomly divided into three groups: lifestyle intervention (LSI), LSI + pioglitazone (PGZ) 15mg qd, and LSI + berberine (BBR) 0.5g tid, respectively, for 16 weeks. The study used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H- MRS) to assess liver fat content. Results: As compared with LSI, PGZ + LSI treatment induced further decreased liver fat content in women (-15.24% ± 14.54% vs. -8.76% ± 13.49%, p = 0.025), but less decreased liver fat content in men (-9.95% ± 15.18% vs. -12.64% ± 17.78%, p = 0.046). There was a significant interaction between gender and efficacy of pioglitazone before and after adjustment for age, smoking, drinking, baseline BMI, BMI change, treatment adherence, baseline liver fat content, and glucose metabolism.Conclusion: The study recommends pioglitazone plus lifestyle intervention for Chinese NAFLD female patients with abnormal glucose metabolism.* Trial registration: Role of Pioglitazone and Berberine in Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, NCT00633282. Registered 3 March 2008, https://register.clinicaltrials.gov.
Motor unit number index detects the effectiveness of surgical treatment in improving distal motor neuron loss in patients with incomplete cervical spinal cord injury
Authors: Li Jun , Zhu Yancheng , Li Yang , He ShiSheng , Wang Deguo 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background

Recovery of motor dysfunction is important for patients with incomplete cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). To enhance the recovery of muscle strength, both research and treatments mainly focus on injury of upper motor neurons at the direct injury site. However, accumulating evidences have suggested that SCI has a downstream effect on the peripheral nervous system, which may contribute to the poor improvement of the muscle strength after operation. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of early vs. delayed surgical intervention on the lower motor neurons (LMNs) distal to the injury site in patients with incomplete cervical SCI.

Methods

Motor unit number index (MUNIX) was performed on the tibialis anterior (TA), extensor digitorum brevis (EDB) and abductor hallucis (AH) in 47 patients with incomplete cervical SCI (early vs. delayed surgical-treatment: 17 vs. 30) and 34 healthy subjects approximately 12 months after operation. All patients were further assessed by American spinal injury association (ASIA) motor scales and Medical Research Council (MRC) scales.

Results

There are no difference of both ASIA motor scores and MRC scales between the patients who accepted early and delayed surgical treatment (P > 0.05). In contrast, the patients undergoing early surgical treatment showed lower MUSIX values in both bilateral EDB and bilateral TA, along with greater MUNIX values in both right-side EDB and right-side TA, compared to the patients who accepted delayed surgical treatment (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Cervical SCI has a negative effect on the LMNs distal to the injury site. Early surgical intervention in Cervical SCI patients may improve the dysfunction of LMNs distal to the injury site, reducing secondary motor neuron loss, and eventually improving clinical prognosis.
Sexual dimorphism and sex-biased gene expression in an egg parasitoid species, Anastatus disparis
Authors: Liu P.C. , Hao DeJun , Hu Hao-Yuan , Wei Jian-Rong 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
BackgroundDifferences in the expression of genes present in both sexes are assumed to contribute to sex differences including behavioural, physiological and morphological dimorphisms. For enriching our knowledge of gender differences in an important egg parasitoid wasp, Anastatus disparis (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), sex-biased differences in gene expression were investigated using Illumina-based transcriptomic analysis. ResultsA total of 15812 resulting unigenes were annotated, and a large set of genes accounting for 50.09% of the total showed sex-biased expression and included 630 sex-specific genes. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that the functional categories associated with sex-biased genes were mainly related to reproduction. In addition, the transcriptome data provided evidence that sex pheromones in A. disparis are produced by the female, and activity of D12-desaturases appear to have been replaced by D9-desaturases playing roles in sex pheromone production. The large set of sex-biased genes identified in this study provide a molecular background for sexually dimorphic traits such as flyability, longevity, and aggression in this species and suggests candidate venom proteins expressed only in females that could be used for biological control.ConclusionsThis study provides comprehensive insight into sexually dimorphic traits of a parasitoid wasp and can inform future research into the molecular mechanisms underlying such traits and the application of parasitoids to the biological control of pest species.
Propofol inhibits inflammatory response by regulating the miR-494/ Nrdp1 pathway in ICH mice model
Authors: Liu Shudong , Li Wenyan , Shi Hui , Tang Ge , Zhang Jiangwei , yang zhao 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background: Propofol is an anesthetic agent with neuro-protective effect in neuronal injury. However, the mechanism of propofol in M1 macrophage polarization following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has not been well studied. Ubiquitination mediated M1/M2 macrophage polarization plays important roles in pathogenesis of immune disease. The experiment analyzed anti-inflammatory effects of propofol in macrophages following ICH. Methods: In the experiment, macrophages were administrated with erythrocyte lysates, and then miR-494, Neuregulin receptor degradation protein-1 (Nrdp1) and M1 related markers were analyzed. In addition, brain inflammatory response, brain edema, and neurological functions of ICH mice were also assessed. Results: We found that propofol decreased miR-494 levels while increased Nrdp1 levels in macrophages after ICH. We also demonstrated that miR-494 inhibited Nrdp1 expression by directly binding its 3′-untranslated region. MiR-494 attenuated Nrdp1 levels and downstream proinflammatory factors production. Upregulation of Nrdp1 in macrophages significantly decreased M1 macrophage polarization. Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that propofol can attenuate the neuroinflammatory response of macrophages after ICH through regulation of the miR-494/Nrdp1 pathway.
How do people in China think about causes of their back pain? A predominantly qualitative cross-sectional survey
Authors: Li Yijun , Coppieters Michel W , Setchell Jenny , Hodges Paul , Scholten-Peeters Gwendolyne GM 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is the second highest cause of health burden in China. Delayed recovery, poor clinical outcomes and persistence of LBP are associated with negative pain beliefs about LBP. Chinese philosophies are nested into the daily life of people in China, which is likely to influence pain beliefs. However, there is lack of knowledge about people’s thinking patterns (discourses) regarding their LBP in China. The primary aim of this study was to explore the discourses underlying the beliefs of people in China about what causes their persistent or recurrent LBP. The secondary aim was to investigate the sources of these pain beliefs.Methods: People (n=152) from South Central, East and North Mainland China with LBP completed an online survey about what they believed caused their persistent or recurrent LBP and where these understandings came from. Potential causes of persistent or recurrent LBP were explored qualitatively using discourse analysis. The sources of these discourses were assessed by descriptive statistics with conventional content analysis. Results: Five discourses were identified to underpin participants’ beliefs about what caused their persistent or recurrent LBP, namely: (1) biomedical problems (66.4%), (2) unbalanced lifestyle (48.7%), (3) menstruation and ‘kidney’ status (9.2%), (4) the ‘Five Elements’ imbalance (7.9%), and (5) energy status (5.9%). Most participants responded that their pain beliefs were based on information derived from healthcare professionals (59.2%), followed by the internet (24.3%) and family (23.0%).Conclusions: People from moderately and well-developed parts of Mainland China think predominantly in line with a Western biomedical viewpoint about their LBP. Traditional Chinese medicine related pain beliefs mainly to the concept of ‘balance’ were evident on contemporary Chinese society’s understandings of LBP. These cultural beliefs could be relevant to consider in LBP management and involve healthcare professionals, family and patient in this process.
Alterations in articular cartilage T2 star relaxation time following mechanical disorders: in vivo canine supraspinatus tendon resection models
Authors: Lee Dokwan , Hong Ki-Taek , Lim Tae Seong , Lee Eugene , Lee Ye Hyun , Park Ji Soon , Kim Woo , Oh Joo Han , Choi Jung Ah , Song Yongnam 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background: The role of altered joint mechanics on cartilage degeneration in in vivo models has not been studied successfully due to a lack of pre-injury information. We aimed 1) to develop an accurate in vivo canine model to measure the changes in joint loading and T2 star (T2*) relaxation time before and after unilateral supraspinatus tendon resections, and 2) to find the relationship between regional variations in articular cartilage loading patterns and T2* relaxation time distributions.Methods: Rigid markers were implanted in the scapula and humerus of tested dogs. The movement of the shoulder bones were measured by a motion tracking system during normal gaits. In vivo cartilage contact strain was measured by aligning 3D shoulder models with the motion tracking data. Articular cartilage T2* relaxation times were measured by quantitative MRI scans. Articular cartilage contact strain and T2* relaxation time were compared in the shoulders before and three months after the supraspinatus tendon resections.Results: Excellent accuracy and reproducibility were found in our in vivo contact strain measurements with less than 1% errors. Changes in articular cartilage contact strain exhibited similar patterns with the changes in the T2* relaxation time after resection surgeries. Regional changes in the articular cartilage T2* relaxation time exhibited positive correlations with regional contact strain variations three months after the supraspinatus resection surgeries.Conclusion: This is the first study to measure in vivo articular cartilage contact strains with high accuracy and reproducibility. Positive correlations between contact strain and T2* relaxation time suggest that the articular cartilage extracellular matrix may responds to mechanical changes in local areas.
Effectiveness of SMS messaging for diarrhoea measurement: a factorial cross-over randomised controlled trial
Authors: Rego Ryan Trevor Titus , Watson Samuel , Ishengoma Philbert , Langat Philemon , Otieno Hezekiah Pireh , Lilford Richard 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background Text messaging systems are used to collect data on symptom prevalence. Using a text messaging system, we evaluated the effects of question load, question frequency, and financial incentive on response rates and reported infant diarrhoea rates in an infant diarrhoea survey. Methods We performed a factorial cross-over randomised controlled trial of an SMS surveying system for infant diarrhoea surveillance with treatments: financial incentive (yes/no), question load (1-question/3-question), and questioning frequency (daily/fortnightly). Participants progressed through all treatment combinations over eight two-week rounds. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic regressions to determine the impacts of the treatments on the response rates and reported diarrhoea rates. Attitudes were explored through qualitative interviews. Results For the 141 participants, the mean response rate was 47%. In terms of percentage point differences (ppd), daily questioning was associated with a lower response rate than fortnightly (-1·2[95%CI:-4·9,2·5]); high (3-question) question loads were associated with a lower response rate than low (1-question) question loads (-7·0[95%CI:-10·8,-3·1]); and financial incentivisation was associated with a higher response rate than no financial incentivisation (6·4[95%CI:2·6,10·2]). The mean two-week diarrhoea rate was 36·4%. Daily questioning was associated with a higher reported diarrhoea rate than fortnightly (29·9[95%CI:22·8,36·9]); with little evidence for impact by incentivisation or question load. Conclusions Close to half of all participants responded to the SMS survey. Daily questioning evoked a statistically higher rate of reported diarrhoea, while financial incentivisation and low (1-question) question loads evoked higher response rates than no incentive and high (3-question) question loads respectively. Trial Registration The protocol was registered on ISRCTN on the 20 th of March 2019 under number ISRCTN11410773 .
A seven-year surveillance study of the epidemiology, antifungal susceptibility, risk factors and mortality of candidaemia among paediatric and adult inpaitents in a tertiary teaching hospital in China
Authors: Zeng Zhangrui , Ding Yinhuan , Tian Gang , Yang Kui , Deng Jian , Li Guangrong , Liu Jinbo 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background: There are no current national estimates of the candidaemia burden in China, and epidemiological candidaemia data from the underdeveloped region of China are lacking. Methods: A 7-year retrospective study was carried out to analyse the prevalence, species distribution, antifungal susceptibility, risk factors and inpatient mortality of candidaemia among paediatric and adult patients in a regional tertiary teaching hospital in China. Results: During the seven-year study period, a total of 201 inpatients with candidaemia were identified. The median age of the patients was 65 years (range, 1 day to 92 years), and 114 of the patients (56.7%) were male. The mean annual incidence of candidaemia was 0.26 cases per 1,000 admissions (0.42 cases per 1,000 paediatric admissions vs 0.24 cases per 1,000 adult admissions, P<0.05). Candida albicans was the most common fungal species (81/201, 40.3%) in all patients, Candida glabrata was the most common fungal species (18/35, 51.4%) in paediatric patients. Most isolates were susceptible to flucytosine (99.0%) and amphotericin B (99.0%), and the activity of antifungal agents against Candida species was no significant difference in satisfaction between paediatric and adult patients(P>0.05). The all-cause mortality rate was 20.4% (paediatric patients: 11.4% vs adult patients:22.3%, P>0.05). Fewer univariate predictors of poor outcomes were identified for paediatric patients than for adult patients (4 vs 11 predictors). Respiratory dysfunction and septic shock were independent predictors of 30-day mortality for all patients. Conclusions: The epidemiological data of candidaemia in paediatric and adult patients are only different in the distributions of Candida species and the mean annual incidence of candidaemia. Flucytosine and amphotericin B can be used as first-choice agents when no antifungal susceptibility test results are available.
Genome-wide association study for yield and yield related traits under reproductive stage drought in a diverse indica-aus rice panel
Authors: Bhandari Aditi , Sandhu Nitika , Bartholome Jérôme , Cao-Hamadoun Tuong-Vi , Ahmadi Nourollah , Kumari Nilima , Kumar Arvind 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background

Reproductive-stage drought stress is a major impediment to rice production in rainfed areas. Conventional and marker-assisted breeding strategies for developing drought-tolerant rice varieties are being optimized by mining and exploiting adaptive traits, genetic diversity; identifying the alleles, and understanding their interactions with genetic backgrounds for their increased contribution to drought tolerance. Field experiments were conducted in this study to identify marker-trait associations (MTAs) involved in response to yield under reproductive-stage (RS) drought. A diverse set of 280 indica-aus accessions was phenotyped for ten agronomic traits including yield and yield-related traits under normal irrigated condition and under two managed reproductive-stage drought environments. The accessions were genotyped with 215,250 single nucleotide polymorphism markers.

Results

The study identified a total of 219 significant MTAs for 10 traits and candidate gene analysis within a 200kb window centred from GWAS identified SNP peaks detected these MTAs within/ in close proximity to 38 genes, 4 earlier reported major grain yield QTLs and 6 novel QTLs for 7 traits out of the 10. The significant MTAs were mainly located on chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 11 and 12 and the percent phenotypic variance captured for these traits ranged from 5 to 88%. The significant positive correlation of grain yield with yield-related and other agronomic traits except for flowering time, observed under different environments point towards their contribution in improving rice yield under drought. Seven promising accessions were identified for use in future genomics-assisted breeding programs targeting grain yield improvement under drought.

Conclusion

These results provide a promising insight into the complex genetic architecture of grain yield under reproductive-stage drought in different environments. Validation of major genomic regions reported in the study will enable their effectiveness to develop drought-tolerant varieties following marker-assisted selection as well as to identify genes and understanding the associated physiological mechanisms.
Female northern grass lizards judge mates by body shape to reinforce local adaptation
Authors: Guo Kun , Chen Chen , Liang Xiao-Fang , Qu Yan-Fu , Ji Xiang 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Background: Identifying the factors that contribute to divergence among populations in mate preferences is important for understanding of the manner in which premating reproductive isolation might arise and how this isolation may in turn contribute to the evolutionary process of population divergence. Here, we offered female northern grass lizards (Takydromus septentrionalis) a choice of males between their own population and another four populations to test whether the preferences that females display in the mating trials correlate with phenotypic adaptation to local environments, or to the neutral genetic distance measured by divergence of mitochondrial DNA sequence loci. Results: Females showed a strong preference for native over foreign males. Females that mated with native versus foreign males did not differ from each other in mating latency, or copulation duration. From results of the structural equation modelling we knew that: 1) geographical distance directly contributed to genetic differentiation and environmental dissimilarity; 2) genetic differentiation and environmental dissimilarity indirectly contributed to female mate preference, largely through their effects on morphological divergence; and 3) females judged mates by body shape (appearance) and discriminated more strongly against morphologically less familiar allopatric males.Conclusions: Local adaptation rather than neutral genetic distance influences female mate preference in T. septentrionalis. The tendency to avoid mating with foreign males may indicate that, in T. septentrionalis, local adaptations are more valuable than genetic novelties. Our results highlight the importance of comprehensive studies integrating ecological, molecular and behavioral approaches to understand population divergence in female mate preferences as the consequence of local adaptations.