bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical expression of endocrine disruptors in children
Authors: Iughetti Lorenzo , Lucaccioni Laura , Street Maria E. , Bernasconi Sergio 
Published: July 2020

Purpose of reviewHealth status is the result of complex interaction between individual factors, general environmental factors and specific factors as nutrition or the presence of chemicals. Aim of this review is to point out the more recent knowledge covering the role of the endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) on pediatric population wellbeing.Recent findingsPrenatal, postnatal life and puberty are the three main temporal windows of susceptibility when EDCs may act. The mechanism is independent from dose or duration of exposition, sex, age or combination of chemicals and may also be transgenerational, affecting both growth and pubertal timing. A window of susceptibility for breast cancer has been detected. Thyroid gland is influenced by environmental chemicals, bothin uteroand during childhood. Alteration in Thyrotropin stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and neurodevelopmental impairment have been demonstrate. It has been detected a pro-obesogenic action of specific chemicals, impairing also glucose homeostasis during childhood.SummaryWith a multidisciplinary approach and the use of big data platforms, an attempt has to be made to verify biological variations related to a disease, and how much the risk is influenced by the presence of the endocrine disruptors. This may help the future generation to better interpret uncommunicable diseases.
Pediatric kidney transplantation in the United States
Authors: Etesami Kambiz , Lestz Rachel , Hogen Rachel 
Published: July 2020

Purpose of review
Pediatric kidney transplantation has made great strides over the preceding years. It has become an accepted and successful remedy for thousands of patients worldwide. For best outcomes, it must be viewed and treated as a distinct entity from adult transplantation with focus on the unique challenges particular to its cohort.

Recent findings
Although efforts have been made to decrease geographic disparity and increase allograft access throughout, an unintended consequence has been prolonged wait times for pediatric patients. Concurrently, ideally size-matched organs from older pediatric donors are also being bypassed. Nevertheless, advances in surgical technique and a better understanding of the limits of donor–recipient pairing have facilitated continued usage of adult kidneys for both infants and small for age children. Immunosuppression optimization has meant mean allograft survival measured in decades.

Summary
Enhanced access is needed to better size-matched organs for pediatric recipients, helping diminish wait times for the youngest patients, and improving their long-term prognosis. Longitudinal multicenter studies are needed to help standardize protocols, especially as it relates to optimal surgical and perioperative management. Advances in immunosuppression will continue to enhance patient and graft survival while minimizing adverse effects.
Developments in diagnosis and treatment of people with borderline personality disorder
Authors: Rao Sathya , Heidari Parvaneh , Broadbear Jillian H. 
Published: July 2020

Purpose of review
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) attracts significant attention from clinicians and researchers alike. Despite increased recognition and willingness to diagnose BPD, most effective treatment approaches remain inaccessible to most. We consider recent developments in the diagnosis and treatment of BPD.

Recent findings
A literature search of EMBASE and PsychINFO, using the search terms ‘borderline personality disorder,’ ‘diagnosis’ and ‘treatment’ for publications since October 2018, yielded over 300 articles and reviews. The literature highlights the increasing awareness of the diagnostic complexity of BPD as well as the emerging significance of ‘common factors’ and stepped care approaches for managing and treating the disorder.

Summary
Clinical practice is evolving to embrace more holistic diagnostic approaches, generalist treatment frameworks and stepped-care models that can be tailored to fit individual needs and service resources. The new frontiers in this field include expansion of timely treatment options, improved knowledge regarding the expression and management of BPD in men, adolescents and the elderly, and bridging cultural divides to create a worldwide population approach.
Community mental healthcare: new developments and innovative strategies
Authors: Bajraktarov Stojan , Kalpak Gjorgji , Jovanovic Nikolina 
Published: July 2020

Purpose of review
The aim of this scoping review was to identify and map the available evidence on recent innovations in community mental healthcare across the globe.

Recent findings
This review highlights the different innovative approaches and strategies being currently used in the field of community mental health. Key approaches found in the reviewed studies include collaborative care with the inclusion of peer workers, growing use of e-health and telepsychiatry, improved reforms on national mental health policies and de-institutionalization, modification of outreach models and mental health promotion in the community. The studies reviewed here suggest that continued innovation and implementation of new models and strategies have the potential to reduce the burden of disease and increase the quality of life for patients with mental health issues.

Summary
Growing body of evidence shows that integrative care is the new standard of care for people with mental illnesses, with necessity of continuity of care from emergency department to community mental health services. Social determinants of rehabilitation and recovery, and peers support remain a new main topic of research in area of treatment of people with severe mental illnesses. E-health tools are becoming prevalent in the processes of promotion, prevention and treatment in mental healthcare.
The socio-economic determinants of COVID-19: A spatial analysis of German county level data
Authors: Ehlert Andree 
Published: July 2020

AbstractThe study explores the influence of socio-economic variables on case and death rates of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany until mid-June 2020. It covers Germany’s 401 counties by multivariate spatial models that can take into account regional interrelationships and possible spillover effects. The case and death rates are, for example, significantly positively associated with early cases from the beginning of the epidemic, the average age, the population density and the number of people employed in elderly care. By contrast, they are significantly negatively associated with the density of schoolchildren and infant care as well as the density of doctors. In addition, for certain variables significant spillover effects on the case numbers of neighbouring regions could be identified, which have a different sign than the overall effects and thus give cause for further analyses of the mechanisms of action of COVID-19 infections. The results complement the knowledge about COVID-19 infection beyond the clinical risk factors discussed so far by a socio-economic perspective. The findings can contribute to the targeted derivation of political measures and their review, as is currently being discussed in particular for the tourism and education sectors.
Triplex Real Time RT-PCR for N1, N2 and RP probes from CDC EUA SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis kit
Authors: Freire-Paspuel Byron , Vega-Mariño Patricio , Velez Alberto , Cruz Marilyn , Garcia-Bereguiain Miguel Angel 
Published: July 2020

AbstractCDC protocol for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) include 3 targets for detection (N1, N2 and RP) labelled with FAM so 3 PCR reactions are required per sample. We developed a triplex, real-time reverse transcription PCR for SARS-CoV-2 that maintained clinical performance compared with CDC singleplex assay. This protocol could speed up detection and save reagents during current SARS-CoV-2 testing supplies shortage.
FreeClimber: Automated quantification of climbing performance inDrosophila, with examples from mitonuclear genotypes
Authors: Spierer Adam N. , Yoon Denise , Zhu Chen-Tseh , Rand David M. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractNegative geotaxis (climbing) performance is a useful metric for quantifyingDrosophilahealth and vigor. Manual methods to quantify climbing performance are slow, tedious, and may be systematically biased, while available computational methods have inflexible hardware or software requirements. We present an alternative: FreeClimber. This open source, Python-based pipeline subtracts a video’s static background to improve spot detection for moving flies in heterogeneous backgrounds. FreeClimber calculates a cohort’s velocity as the slope of the most linear portion of a mean-vertical position vs. time plot. It can run from a graphical user interface for parameter optimization or a command line interface for high-throughput and automated batch processing. It outputs calculated slopes, spot locations for follow up analyses such as tracking, and several visualizations and diagnostic plots. We demonstrate FreeClimber’s utility in a longitudinal study for endurance exercise performance inDrosophilausing six distinct mitochondrial haplotypes paired with a commonw1118nuclear background.Summary statementFreeClimber quantifies the climbing velocity for a group of flies, eliminating systematic biases associated with traditional manual methods in a high throughput and automated (graphical and/or command line-based) platform.
Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Elavarasi Arunmozhimaran , Prasad Manya , Seth Tulika , Sahoo Ranjit Kumar , Madan Karan , Nischal Neeraj , Soneja Manish , Sharma Atul , Maulik Subir Kumar , Shalimar  , Garg Pramod 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundThere is no effective therapy for COVID-19. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and chloroquine (CQ) have been used for its treatment but their safety and efficacy remain uncertain.ObjectiveWe performed a systematic review to synthesize the available data on the efficacy and safety of CQ and HCQ for the treatment of COVID-19.MethodsTwo reviewers searched for published and pre-published relevant articles between December 2019 to 8th June 2020. The data from the selected studies were abstracted and analyzed for efficacy and safety outcomes. Critical appraisal of the evidence was done by Cochrane risk of bias tool and Newcastle Ottawa scale. The quality of evidence was graded as per the GRADE approach.ResultsWe reviewed 12 observational and 3 randomized trials which included 10659 patients of whom 5713 received CQ/HCQ and 4966 received only standard of care. The efficacy of CQ/HCQ for COVID-19 was inconsistent across the studies. Meta-analysis of included studies revealed no significant reduction in mortality with HCQ use [RR 0.98 95% CI 0.66-1.46], time to fever resolution [mean difference −0.54 days (-1.19-011)] or clinical deterioration/development of ARDS with HCQ [RR 0.90 95% CI 0.47-1.71]. There was a higher risk of ECG abnormalities/arrhythmia with HCQ/CQ [RR 1.46 95% CI 1.04 to 2.06]. The quality of evidence was graded as very low for these outcomes.Author’s ConclusionThe available evidence suggests that CQ or HCQ does not improve clinical outcomes in COVID-19. Well-designed randomized trials are required for assessing the efficacy and safety of HCQ and CQ for COVID-19..
Treatment Response to Hydroxychloroquine and Antibiotics for mild to moderate COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study from South Korea
Authors: An Min Ho , Kim Min Seo , Park Yu-Kyung , Kim Bong-Ok , Kang Seok Ho , Kim Won Jun , Park Sung Kyu , Park Hea-Woon , Yang Wonjong , Jang Joonyoung , Jang Soon-Woo , Hwang Tae-Ho 
Published: July 2020

AbstractObjectivesTo assess the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine on mild-moderate COVID-19 patients in South Korea.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of the 358 laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) patients was conducted. 226 patients met inclusion criteria for analysis. Propensity score matching (PSM) and Cox regression method were utilized to control and adjust for confounding factors. Mild to moderate COVID-19 patients were managed with hydroxychloroquine (HQ) plus antibiotics (n = 31) or conservative treatment (n = 195).ResultsKaplan-Meier curves drawn using propensity score-matched data revealed no differences between the length of time to viral clearance and duration of hospital stay between the two treatment arms (p=0.18, p=0.088). Multivariable Cox regression analysis similarly showed that time to viral clearance(Hazard ratio (HR) 0.97, [95%-confidence interval (CI): 0.57-1.67]) and symptom duration(HR 1.05, [95%-CI: 0.62-1.78]) were not different between groups. No severe adverse event or death was observed in either group.ConclusionsHQ with antibiotics was not associated with better clinical outcomes in terms of time to viral clearance, length of hospital stay, and duration of symptoms compared to conservative treatment alone. Large prospective randomized trials are necessary for definitive conclusions.
PaintSHOP enables the interactive design of transcriptome- and genome-scale oligonucleotide FISH experiments
Authors: Hershberg Elliot A. , Close Jennie L. , Camplisson Conor K. , Attar Sahar , Chern Ryan , Liu Yuzhen , Akilesh Shreeram , Nicovich Philip R. , Beliveau Brian J. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractFluorescentin situhybridization (FISH) allows researchers to visualize the spatial position and quantity of nucleic acids in fixed samples. Recently, considerable progress has been made in developing oligonucleotide (oligo)-based FISH methods. These methods have enabled researchers to study the three-dimensional organization of the genome at super-resolution and visualize the spatial patterns of gene expression for thousands of genes in individual cells. While considerable progress has been made in developing new molecular methods that harness complex oligo libraries for FISH, there are few existing computational tools to support the bioinformatics workflows necessary to carry out these experiments. Here, we introduce Paint Server and Homology Optimization Pipeline (PaintSHOP), an interactive platform for the reproducible design of oligo FISH experiments. PaintSHOP enables researchers to identify probes for their experimental targets efficiently, to incorporate additional necessary sequences such as primer pairs, and to easily generate standardized files documenting the design of their libraries. Our platform integrates a machine learning model that quantitatively predicts probe specificity on the genome scale into a dynamic web application that creates ready-to-order probe sets for a wide variety of applications. The goal of this freely available web resource is to democratize and standardize the process of designing complex probe sets for the oligo FISH community. PaintSHOP can be accessed at:paintshop.io
Initial characterisation of commercially available ELISA tests and the immune response of the clinically correlated SARS-CoV-2 biobank “SERO-BL-COVID-19” collected during the pandemic onset in Switzerland
Authors: Kaltenbach Hans-Michael , Rudolf Fabian , Linnik Janina , Deichmann Julia , Ruf Therese , Altamura Raffaele , Kapetanovic Edo , Mason Derek , Wagner Bastian , Goetz Thomas , Mundorff Lukas , Stoll-Rudin Karin , Krebs Christina , Renz Tanja , Hochueli Thomas , Haymoz Sergio , Hosch Markus , Périat Nadine , Richert Michèle , Sesia Sergio , Paris Daniel , Quinto Carlos Beat , Probst-Hensch Nicole M. , Niederhauser Christoph , Reddy Sai , Nickel Beatrice , Savic Miodrag 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundTo accurately measure seroprevalance in the population, both the expected immune response as well as the assay performances have to be well characterised. Here, we describe the collection and initial characterisation of a blood and saliva biobank obtained after the initial peak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland.MethodsTwo laboratory ELISAs measuring IgA & IgG (Euroimmun), and IgM & IgG (Epitope Diagnostics) were used to characterise the biobank collected from 349 re- and convalescent patients from the canton of Basel-Landschaft.FindingsThe antibody response in terms of recognized epitopes is diverse, especially in oligosymptomatic patients, while the average strength of the antibody response of the population does correlate with the severity of the disease at each time point.InterpretationThe diverse immune response presents a challenge when conducting epidemiological studies as the used assays only detect∼90% of the oligosymptomatic cases. This problem cannot be rectified by using more sensitive assay setting as they concomitantly reduce specificity.FundingFunding was obtained from the “Amt für Gesundheit” of the canton Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland.
The mental health impact of COVID-19 and pandemic related stressors among adults in the UK
Authors: Chandola Tarani , Kumari Meena , Booker Cara L , Benzeval Michaela J 
Published: July 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a wide range of social and economic changes that could, in turn, have affected the mental health of the UK adult population. Previous research has not been able to measure the broad range of potential stressors, nor examine whether recent changes in those stressors have positively or negatively impacted on common mental disorders. Furthermore, it is unclear whether the stressful impact of the lockdown on mental health has accumulated over time or whether people have adapted to the new conditions of lockdown. This study examines whether there was an increase in the prevalence and incidence of Common Mental Disorders (CMD) in the UK adult population during the first few months of lockdown related to the coronavirus pandemic and whether changes in CMD were associated with an increase in stressors related to lockdown and the pandemic.MethodsLongitudinal data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (wave 9: 2017-2019 and waves 1 and 2 of the Coronavirus survey in April and May 2020 respectively), a representative sample of UK population, were analysed. Common mental disorders (CMD) were measured using the GHQ-12 (cut off >2) at all waves. The difference in the GHQ-12 (using Likert scores) between waves measured changes in psychological well-being. The incidence of CMD and changes in psychological well-being were analysed in relation to pandemic specific stressors and changes in economic, financial, household and psychosocial stressors.FindingsAround 30% of UKHLS adults without CMD in 2017/9 had a CMD in April 2020. However from April to May 2020, the incidence reduced considerably to below 13%. Much of the increase in incident CMD between April and May was associated with an increase in feelings of loneliness, but some of this increase was also associated with increasing domestic work demands (arising out of childcare and home-schooling), working from home, and the receipt of care from outside the home. The reduction in the incidence of many of these stressors in May (compared to April) coincided with a reduction in the incidence of CMD in May.ConclusionThe pandemic and resultant lockdown were associated with an increase in the incidence of CMD in the UK adult population initially in April 2020. These changes were associated with increases in feelings of loneliness and stressors related to work and domestic life and receipt of care. There was some evidence of adaptation to many of these stressors over the lockdown period by May 2020. However, if levels of unemployment and redundancy increase in the near future, the implications for the mental health of the population need careful thought and monitoring.
A topic analysis of traditional and social media news coverage of the early COVID-19 pandemic and implications for public health communication
Authors: Chipidza Wallace , Akbaripourdibazar Elmira , Gwanzura Tendai , Gatto Nicole M. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractKnowledge gaps may initially exist among scientists, medical and public health professionals during pandemics, which are fertile grounds for misinformation in news media. We characterized and compared COVID-19 coverage in newspapers, television, and social media, and discussed implications for public health communication strategies that are relevant to an initial pandemic response. We conducted a Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), an unsupervised topic modelling technique, analysis of 3,271 newspaper articles, 40 cable news shows transcripts, 96,000 Twitter posts, and 1,000 Reddit posts during March 4 - 12, 2020, a period chronologically early in the timeframe of the COVID-19 pandemic. Coverage of COVID-19 clustered on topics such as epidemic, politics, and the economy, and these varied across media sources. Topics dominating news were not predominantly health-related, suggesting a limited presence of public health in news coverage in traditional and social media. Examples of misinformation were identified particularly in social media. Public health entities should utilize communication specialists to create engaging informational content to be shared on social media sites. Public health officials should be attuned to their target audience to anticipate and prevent spread of common myths likely to exist within a population. This will help control misinformation in early stages of pandemics.
Two-Stage Adaptive Pooling with RT-qPCR for COVID-19 Screening
Authors: Heidarzadeh Anoosheh , Narayanan Krishna 
Published: July 2020

AbstractWe propose two-stage adaptive pooling schemes, 2-STAP and 2-STAMP, for detecting COVID-19 using real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) test kits. Similar to the Tapestry scheme of Ghoshet al., the proposed schemes leverage soft information from the RT-qPCR process about the total viral load in the pool. This is in contrast to conventional group testing schemes where the measurements are Boolean. The proposed schemes provide higher testing throughput than the popularly used Dorfman’s scheme. They also provide higher testing throughput, sensitivity and specificity than the state-of-the-art non-adaptive Tapestry scheme. The number of pipetting operations is lower than state-of-the-art non-adaptive pooling schemes, and is higher than that for the Dorfman’s scheme. The proposed schemes can work with substantially smaller group sizes than non-adaptive schemes and are simple to describe. Monte-Carlo simulations using the statistical model in the work of Ghoshet al. (Tapestry) show that 10 infected people in a population of size 961 can be identified with 70.86 tests on the average with a sensitivity of 99.50% and specificity of 99.62%. This is 13.5x, 4.24x, and 1.3x the testing throughput of individual testing, Dorfman’s testing, and the Tapestry scheme, respectively.