bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Neural Processing and Perceived Discrimination Stress in African Americans
Authors: Wright Kathy D. , Jack Anthony I. , Friedman Jared P. , Jones Lenette M. , Sattar Abdus , Fresco David M. , Moore Shirley M. 
Published: June 2020

Background
Racial discrimination is one of many barriers experienced by African Americans that interfere with health self-care management. Discrimination stress may decrease the tendency for individuals to resonate with the social–emotional appeals embedded in persuasive health information, which are known to play a key role in producing behavior change. Understanding the neurobehavioral underpinnings of discrimination stress experienced by African Americans may help reduce or resolve this important health disparity.

Objectives
The purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine the association between neural processing of health information and perceived discrimination. In particular, we focused on three previously identified measures of health information processing associated with distinct brain areas: analytic network, empathy network, and the ventral medial prefrontal cortex.

Methods
Data were obtained from 24 African Americans enrolled in a blood pressure self-care management study. Participants completed surveys assessing racial discrimination and global stress, as well as a 40-minute functional magnetic resonance imaging protocol used to measure neural activation associated with processing different types of health information.

Results
Discrimination stress was significantly related to reduced activation of the empathy network and ventral medial prefrontal cortex, whereas there was a nonsignificant positive relationship with activity in the analytic network.

Discussion
Uncovering associations between patient experiences, such as racial discrimination, and their neural processing of health information can lead to the development of tailored health messages and self-care management interventions. This may inform strategies to close the gap on health outcomes.
Adaptation and Acceptability of a Digitally Delivered Intervention for Parents of Very Low Birth Weight Infants
Authors: Greene Michelle M. , Patra Kousiki , Czyzewski Patryk , Gonring Kelsey , Breitenstein Susan 
Published: June 2020

Background
Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants are at elevated risk for behavioral problems as early as the second year of life. The purpose of this feasibility study was to evaluate the adaptation and acceptability of an existing digitally delivered behavioral parent training program—the ezParent program, with the addition of weekly coaching calls—for parents of former VLBW infants in their second year of life.

Objectives
To assess the adaptation of ezParent for this population, we assessed parent access and use of ezParent and coaching calls, parent learning of strategies from ezParent, and changes in parenting practices or child behavior after using ezParent plus coaching calls. For acceptability, we assessed if parents viewed ezParent content as applicable to their experiences of parenting a former VLBW infant and how parents viewed coaching calls.

Methods
Ten parents of VLBW infants (20 months of age adjusted for prematurity) were recruited from a neonatal intensive care follow-up clinic. Parents completed the six modules of ezParent plus weekly coaching calls over 10-week intervention period. ezParent usage data were electronically uploaded to secure servers. Completion and timing of coaching calls were monitored using a tracking log. Parents completed child behavior and parenting belief and practice questionnaires pre- and postintervention. Calls were recorded and transcribed to assess for learning of parenting strategies, acceptability with the VLBW population, and acceptability of coaching calls.

Results
On average, parents completed 85% of the ezParent modules and 89% of the scheduled coaching calls, respectively. Parents spontaneously introduced 44% of the ezParent strategies during their coaching calls. Modest within-group effect sizes were detected for improvement in parenting self-efficacy and child externalizing behavior. Parents felt the ezParent content applied to their experiences parenting a preterm infant and had high satisfaction with coaching calls as a method of reinforcing program content and assessing knowledge and supporting accountability for program participation.

Discussion

ezParent with coaching calls is a feasible method of delivering behavioral parent training to parents of former VLBW infants in their second year of life. Coaching calls have high potential to be a low-cost, time-efficient component of digitally delivered programs that would allow for rapid integration into clinical practice.
Sex Abroad Among Men Who Have Sex With Men and Its Association With Chemsex, Sexual Risk Behavior, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Netherlands
Authors: Evers Ymke J. , Dukers-Muijrers Nicole H.T.M. , Van Liere Geneviève A.F.S. , Hoebe Christian J.P.A. 
Published: June 2020

Abstract
Almost half of men who have sex with men visiting Dutch sexually transmitted disease clinics reported sex abroad in the past 6 months, mainly in Western countries. One in 4 men who have sex with men who had sex abroad used drugs during sex (“chemsex”) abroad. Having sex abroad was associated with having multiple sex partners and casual sex partner(s).
The Availability and Feasibility of Chemsex Services Within Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics in the Netherlands: A Cross-Sectional Survey Among Sexually Transmitted Disease Nurses
Authors: Evers Ymke J. , Levels Luuk T.J. , Dukers-Muijrers Nicole H.T.M. , Van Liere Geneviève A.F.S. , Hoebe Christian J.P.A. 
Published: June 2020

ObjectivesChemsex—using illicit drugs during sex—is prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM) and associated with sexual and mental health harms. Sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics are a frequently visited and trusted health care facility for MSM. This study assessed the frequency and extent to which chemsex is addressed by Dutch STD nurses.MethodsOf the 24 Dutch public STD clinics, an online questionnaire was distributed in 20 STD clinics (83%) in 2019; the questionnaire was sent to 191 STD nurses, of whom 108 (57%) completed the questionnaire. The main outcome was addressing chemsex during regular MSM consultations, measured on a 5-point Likert scale (never-always). Items measuring knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and the social norm were also measured on a 5-point Likert scale (totally disagree–totally agree).ResultsOf the 108 participating STD nurses, 77 (71%) addressed chemsex regularly or always during MSM consultations. In general, STD nurses indicated to have sufficient knowledge about chemsex (mean [SD], 3.6 [0.5]) and a positive attitude toward addressing chemsex (mean [SD], 4.3 [0.5]). A need for training on chemsex was reported by 82 (76%) STD nurses, especially in signaling problematic chemsex (56/82; 68%). Three STD clinics (15%) had a protocol on addressing chemsex, and 3 STD clinics (15%) had referral pathways to addiction care.ConclusionSexually transmitted disease nurses from Dutch STD clinics regularly addressed chemsex during MSM consultations. Our results show relevance of educating STD nurses on signaling problematic chemsex and arranging referral pathways to addiction care to optimize chemsex related health care.
Single-Payer Health Care in the United States: Implications for Plastic Surgery
Authors: Cuccolo Nicholas G. , Crystal Dustin T. , Ibrahim Ahmed M. S. , Lin Samuel J. 
Published: June 2020

Summary:
Health care reform continues to be a topic of debate among lawmakers, politicians, physicians, and citizens of the United States. In recent years, proposed changes to the health care industry have grown in both granularity and popularity, with the possibility of adapting a single-payer health insurance system reaching an all-time high. The implications of such a policy are far-reaching and can be challenging to conceptualize, especially in isolation. The purpose of this article is to review some of the anticipated changes under this new system, specifically as they pertain to the field of plastic surgery.
Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Inflammatory Myositis
Authors: Ohad Maayan , Shemer Asaf , Lavie Inbar , Ozeri David , Shoenfeld Yehuda , Kivity Shaye 
Published: June 2020

Introduction
Inflammatory myopathies are treated with glucocorticoids and other immunosuppressive medications. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is increasingly used for refractory or severe cases; however, the evidence for their effectiveness is limited. We assessed effectiveness and safety of IVIG when used with other immunomodulatory agents in the treatment of inflammatory myopathies.

Methods
This study reviewed records of patients diagnosed with dermatomyositis or polymyositis and treated with IVIG, from 2009 through 2016 in 1 tertiary medical center. Mixed-effects general linear regression models were applied to determine effectiveness of treatment on muscle strength, creatinine phosphokinase levels, and steroid dosage.

Results
Twenty-three patients with dermatomyositis/polymyositis treated with IVIG were followed up for a mean of 31 (SD, ±25) months. During this period, a significant improvement in muscle strength was demonstrated, with a mean increase of 0.92 Medical Research Council scale points (β = 0.14; confidence interval [CI], 0.136–0.149; p < 0.0001), a significant reduction of creatinine phosphokinase levels and steroid dosage with a mean decrease of 1140 IU/L (β = −0.274; CI, −0.354 to −0.195; p < 0.0001), and 36 mg/d (β = −0.008; CI, −0.011 to −0.006; p < 0.0001), respectively. Overall, remission was observed in 10 patients (43.5%), and partial remission in 6 patients (26%), whereas 1 patient (17%) remained refractory to treatment, and 6 patients (27%) were lost to follow-up.

Conclusions
The majority of patients with inflammatory myopathies experienced a clinical and laboratory improvement during IVIG treatment. In addition, a steroid-sparing effect was noticed in most patients. These results encourage the use of IVIG as an alternative treatment option for patients with limited responsiveness to conventional methods.
A “Deep Dive” into the SARS-Cov-2 Polymerase Assembly: Identifying Novel Allosteric Sites and Analyzing the Hydrogen Bond Networks and Correlated Dynamics
Authors: Barakat Khaled , Ahmed Marawan , Tabana Yasser , Ha Minwoo 
Published: June 2020

AbstractReplication of the SARS-CoV-2 genome is a fundamental step in the virus life cycle and inhibiting the SARS-CoV2 replicase machinery has been proven recently as a promising approach in combating the virus. Despite this recent success, there are still several aspects related to the structure, function and dynamics of the CoV-2 polymerase that still need to be addressed. This includes understanding the dynamicity of the various polymerase subdomains, analyzing the hydrogen bond networks at the active site and at the template entry in the presence of water, studying the binding modes of the nucleotides at the active site, highlighting positions for acceptable nucleotides’ substitutions that can be tolerated at different positions within the nascent RNA strand, identifying possible allosteric sites within the polymerase structure and studying their correlated dynamics relative to the catalytic site. Here, we combined various cutting-edge modelling tools with the recently resolved SARS-CoV-2 cryo-EM polymerase structures to fill this gap in knowledge. Our findings provide a detailed analysis of the hydrogen bond networks at various parts of the polymerase structure and suggest possible nucleotides’ substitutions that can be tolerated by the polymerase complex. We also report here three “druggable” allosteric sites within the nsp12 RdRp that can be targeted by small molecule inhibitors. Our correlated motion analysis shows that the dynamics within one of the newly identified sites are linked to the active site, indicating that targeting this site can significantly impact the catalytic activity of the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase.
Liver-specific suppression of ANGPTL4 improves obesity-associated diabetes and mitigates atherosclerosis in mice
Authors: Singh Abhishek K. , Chaube Balkrishna , Canfrán-Duque Alberto , Zhang Xinbo , Price Nathan L. , Aryal Binod , Sun Jonathan , Citrin Kathryn M , Rotllan Noemi , Lee Richard G. , Suárez Yajaira , Fernández-Hernando Carlos 
Published: June 2020

ABSTRACTAngiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) is a major regulator of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, which is responsible for maintaining optimal levels of circulating triacylglycerol (TAG) for distribution to different tissues including the adipose tissues (ATs), heart, muscle and liver. Dysregulation of trafficking and portioning of fatty acids (FA) can promote ectopic lipid accumulation in metabolic tissues such as the liver, ultimately leading to systemic metabolic dysfunction. To investigate how ANGPTL4 regulates hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism, we generated liver-specific ANGPTL4 knockout mice (LKO). Using metabolic turnover studies, we demonstrate that hepatic ANGPTL4 deficiency facilitates catabolism of TAG-rich lipoprotein (TRL) remnants in the liver via increased hepatic lipase (HL) activity, which results in a significant reduction in circulating TAG and cholesterol levels. Deletion of hepatocyte ANGPTL4 protects against diet-induce obesity, glucose intolerance, liver steatosis, and atherogenesis. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that absence of ANGPTL4 in hepatocytes promotes FA uptake which results in increased FA oxidation, ROS production, and AMPK activation. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of a targeted pharmacologic therapy that specifically inhibits ANGPTL4 in the liver and protects against diet-induced obesity, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, and liver damage without causing any of the deleterious effects previously observed with neutralizing antibodies.
Brief Communication: Magnetic Immuno-Detection of SARS-CoV-2 specific Antibodies
Authors: Pietschmann Jan , Vöpel Nadja , Spiegel Holger , Krause Hans-Joachim , Schröper Florian 
Published: June 2020

AbstractSARS-CoV-2 causes ongoing infections worldwide, and identifying people with immunity is becoming increasingly important. Available point-of-care diagnostic systems as lateral flow assays have high potential for fast and easy on-site antibody testing but are lacking specificity, sensitivity or possibility for quantitative measurements. Here, a new point-of-care approach for SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody detection in human serum based on magnetic immuno-detection is described and compared to standard ELISA. For magnetic immuno-detection, immunofiltration columns were coated with a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein peptide. SARS-CoV-2 peptide reactive antibodies, spiked at different concentrations into PBS and human serum, were rinsed through immunofiltration columns. Specific antibodies were retained within the IFC and labelled with an isotype specific biotinylated antibody. Streptavidin-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles were applied to label the secondary antibodies. Enriched magnetic nanoparticles were then detected by means of frequency magnetic mixing detection technology, using a portable magnetic read-out device. Measuring signals corresponded to the amount of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies in the sample. Our preliminary magnetic immuno-detection setup resulted in a higher sensitivity and broader detection range and was four times faster than ELISA. Further optimizations could reduce assay times to that of a typical lateral flow assay, enabling a fast and easy approach, well suited for point-of-care measurements without expensive lab equipment.
Salt Added to Food and Body Mass Index: A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Zhou Long , Wen Xiaoxiao , Zhao Liancheng , Yu Yan 
Published: June 2020

AbstractBackground and objectiveObservational studies suggest that dietary sodium (salt) intake may be associated with body mass index (BMI). However, these findings may be biased by confounding and reverse causality. The present study aimed to apply a bidirectional Mendelian Randomization (MR) framework to determine the causal association between salt added to food (do not include salt used in cooking) and BMI by integrating summary-level genome-wide association study (GWAS) data.MethodsWe performed two-sample MR analyses using summary statistics of GWAS. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used to analyze the effect of the preference of salt added to food on BMI. We used maximum likelihood estimation and random effect model as auxiliary verification. A bidirectional MR analysis with BMI as the exposure and salt added to food as the outcome was also performed.ResultsWe identified 74 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were genome-wide significant (P < 5×10-8) for the preference of salt added to food in the UK Biobank (n = 462,630) and were investigated for their association with BMI in a meta-analysis of 322,154 European-descent individuals from GWAS and Metabochip studies. The IVW method estimate indicated that the preference of salt added to food was positively associated with BMI (β = 0.1416, SE = 0.0576, P = 0.0139). Results from maximum likelihood estimation (β = 0.1476, SE = 0.0363, P < 0.0001) and the random effect model (β = 0.1411, SE = 0.0572, P = 0.0137) were consistent with the IVW. Bidirectional MR analyses suggested that BMI was not associated with the preference of salt added to food.ConclusionOur results provided qualitative evidence supporting a causal relationship between salt intake and BMI.
Implementation of An Online COVID-19 Epidemic Calculator for Tracking the Spread of the Coronavirus in Singapore and Other Countries
Authors: Yap Fook Fah , Yong Minglee 
Published: June 2020

AbstractThis paper describes the methods underlying the development of an online COVID-19 Epidemic Calculator for tracking COVID-19 growth parameters. From publicly available infection case data, the calculator is used to estimate the effective reproduction number, doubling time, final epidemic size, and death toll. As a case study, we analyzed the results for Singapore during the “Circuit breaker” period from April 7, 2020 to the end of May 2020. The calculator shows that the stringent measures imposed have an immediate effect of rapidly slowing down the spread of the coronavirus. After about two weeks, the effective reproduction number reduced to 1.0. Since then, the number has been fluctuating around 1.0.The COVID-19 Epidemic Calculator is available in the form of an online Google Sheet and the results are presented as Tableau Public dashboards at www.cv19.one. By making the calculator readily accessible online, the public can have a tool to meaningfully assess the effectiveness of measures to control the pandemic.
Globally Coherent Weekly Periodicity in the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Unnikrishnan C. S. 
Published: June 2020

AbstractAfter the major exponential phase, the Covid-19 pandemic is on a milder rate of increase globally, and past the peak in many countries. In this phase a marked systematic weekly periodicity in the Covid-19 attack has become clear, the study of which could be useful for the long term strategy to deal with the virus and the pandemic. The most important aspect of this strong weekly modulation is its global nature, phase-coherent over most of globe, independent of the geographical location. The fact that the same periodicity is now evident even those countries Asia and Africa, where it was absent or not prominent earlier, suggests the possibility that the pattern could be an early indicator for significant community transmission. The global coherent periodicity with a time scale that agrees with the time scales of virus incubation and infection may be important in tracking the long term interaction of the virus with the host.
Immunotherapy with immunocytokines and PD-1 blockade enhances the anticancer activity of small molecule-drug conjugates targeting carbonic anhydrase IX
Authors: Millul Jacopo , Krudewig Christiane , Zana Aureliano , Plaza Sheila Dakhel , Puca Emanuele , Villa Alessandra , Neri Dario , Cazzamalli Samuele 
Published: June 2020

AbstractSmall molecule-drug conjugates (SMDCs) represent an alternative to conventional antitumor chemotherapeutic agents, with the potential to improve the therapeutic window of cytotoxic payloads through active delivery at the site of the disease. In this article we describe novel combination therapies consisting of anti-Carbonic Anhydrase IX SMDCs combined with different immunomodulatory products. The therapeutic effect of the SMDCs was potentiated by combination with PD-1 blockade and with tumor-homing antibody-cytokine fusions in mouse models of renal cell carcinoma and colorectal cancer. The combination with L19-IL12, a fusion protein specific to the alternatively-spliced EDB domain of fibronectin containing the murine interleukin-12 moiety, was active also against large established tumors. Analysis of the microscopic structures of healthy organs performed three months after tumor eradication confirmed absence of pathological abnormalities in the healthy kidney, liver, lung, stomach and intestine. Our findings may be of clinical significance as they provide motivation for the development of combinations based on small molecule-drug conjugates and immunotherapy for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma and of hypoxic tumors.
Polygenic Scores for Cognitive Abilities and their Association with Different Aspects of General Intelligence – a Deep Phenotyping Approach
Authors: Genç Erhan , Schlüter Caroline , Fraenz Christoph , Arning Larissa , Metzen Dorothea , Nguyen Huu Phuc , Voelkle Manuel C. , Streit Fabian , Güntürkün Onur , Kumsta Robert , Ocklenburg Sebastian 
Published: June 2020

AbstractIntelligence is a highly polygenic trait and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified thousands of DNA variants contributing with small effects. Polygenic scores (PGS) can aggregate those effects for trait prediction in independent samples. As large-scale light-phenotyping GWAS operationalized intelligence as performance in rather superficial tests, the question arises which intelligence facets are actually captured. We used deep-phenotyping to investigate the molecular determinants of individual differences in cognitive ability. We therefore studied the association between PGS of intelligence (IQ-PGS), cognitive performance (CP-PGS) and educational attainment (EA-PGS) with a wide range of intelligence facets in a sample of 557 healthy adults. IQ-PGS, CP-PGS and EA-PGS had the highest incremental R2s for general (2.71%; 4.27%; 2.06%), verbal (3.30%; 4.64%; 1.61%) and numerical intelligence (3.06%; 3.24%; 1.26%) and the weakest for non-verbal intelligence (0.89%; 1.47%; 0.70%) and memory (0.80%; 1.06%; 0.67%). These results indicate that PGS derived from light-phenotyping GWAS do not reflect different facets of intelligence equally well, and thus should not be interpreted as genetic indicators of intelligence per se. The findings refine our understanding of how PGS are related to other traits or life outcomes.