bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of DNA methylation profiles during sheep skeletal muscle development using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing
Authors: Fan Yixuan , Liang Yaxu , Deng Kaiping , Zhang Zhen , Zhang Guomin , Zhang Yanli , Wang Feng 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
DNA methylation is an epigenetic regulatory form that plays an important role in regulating the gene expression and the tissues development.. However, DNA methylation regulators involved in sheep muscle development remain unclear. To explore the functional importance of genome-scale DNA methylation during sheep muscle growth, this study systematically investigated the genome-wide DNA methylation profiles at key stages of Hu sheep developmental (fetus and adult) using deep whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS).

Results
Our study found that the expression levels of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT)-related genes were lower in fetal muscle than in the muscle of adults. The methylation levels in the CG context were higher than those in the CHG and CHH contexts, and methylation levels were highest in introns, followed by exons and downstream regions. Subsequently, we identified 48,491, 17, and 135 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the CG, CHG, and CHH sequence contexts and 11,522 differentially methylated genes (DMGs). The results of bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) correlated well with the WGBS-Seq data. Moreover, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional annotation analysis revealed that some DMGs were involved in regulating skeletal muscle development and fatty acid metabolism. By combining the WGBS-Seq and previous RNA-Seq data, a total of 159 overlap genes were obtained between differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and DMGs (FPKM > 10 and fold change > 4). Finally, we found that 9 DMGs were likely to be involved in muscle growth and metabolism of Hu sheep.

Conclusions
We systemically studied the global DNA methylation patterns of fetal and adult muscle development in Hu sheep, which provided new insights into a better understanding of the epigenetic regulation of sheep muscle development.
COX5A over-expression protects cortical neurons from hypoxic ischemic injury in neonatal rats associated with TPI up-regulation
Authors: Jiang Ya , Bai Xue , Li Ting-Ting , AL-Hawwas Mohammed , Jin Yuan , Zou Yu , Hu Yue , Liu Lin-Yi , Zhang Ying , Liu Qing , Yang Hao , Ma Jun , Wang Ting-Hua , Liu Jia , Xiong Liu-Lin 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) represents as a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms in brain damage are still not fully elucidated. This study was conducted to determine the specific potential molecular mechanism in the hypoxic-ischemic induced cerebral injury.

Methods
Here, hypoxic-ischemic (HI) animal models were established and primary cortical neurons were subjected to oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) to mimic HIE model in vivo and in vitro. The HI-induced neurological injury was evaluated by Zea-longa scores, Triphenyte-trazoliumchloride (TTC) staining the Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferased Utp Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) and immunofluorescent staining. Then the expression of Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 5a (COX5A) was determined by immunohistochemistry, western blotting (WB) and quantitative real time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) techniques. Moreover, HSV-mediated COX5A over-expression virus was transducted into OGD neurons to explore the role of COX5A in vitro, and the underlying mechanism was predicted by GeneMANIA, then verified by WB and qRT-PCR.

Results
HI induced a severe neurological dysfunction, brain infarction, and cell apoptosis as well as obvious neuron loss in neonatal rats, in corresponding to the decrease on the expression of COX5A in both sides of the brain. What’s more, COX5A over-expression significantly promoted the neuronal survival, reduced the apoptosis rate, and markedly increased the neurites length after OGD. Moreover, Triosephosephate isomerase (TPI) was predicted as physical interactions with COX5A, and COX5A over-expression largely increased the expressional level of TPI.

Conclusions
The present findings suggest that COX5A plays an important role in promoting neurological recovery after HI, and this process is related to TPI up-regulation.
Potential prognostic roles of serum lactate and Creatine kinase levels in poisoned patients
Authors: Golaghaei Alireza , Hassanian-Moghaddam Hossein , Shadnia Shahin , Zamani Nasim , Amraei Fatemeh 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
Examination of serum lactate level and its changes, as an indicator of tissue oxygenation, as well as level of creatine kinase (CK) inhibitors, as a factor of mortality which partially expresses heart, brain, and muscle damage, may be considered as tools to determine prognosis in critically ill patients. We aimed to evaluate these two factors as potential prognostic factors in critically poisoned patients admitted to our toxicology ICU.

Method
This is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study that was performed on poisoned patients referred to emergency department of Loghman Hakim Hospital. One-hundred critically poisoned patients who had been admitted to ICU were conveniently chosen using a random number table and included into the study after obtaining consent forms from their next of kin. Their serum lactate and CK levels were checked on admission. These levels were compared subsequently between survivors and non-survivors to seek for their potential prognostic role.

Results
In a total of 100 patients enrolled, 61 were male. Serum level of lactate (with a cut off of 26 mg/dL) and serum CK with a cutoff point of 169 U/L could have prognosticated death with sensitivity and specificity of 78 and 77% (for lactate) and 74 and 62% (for serum CK), respectively.

Conclusions
In poisoned patients, serum lactate and CK can be used as possible prognostic factors because they rapidly increase in the serum and are easily detectable.
Primary care service use by end-of-life cancer patients: a nationwide population-based cohort study in the United Kingdom
Authors: Gao Wei , Gulliford Martin , Morgan Myfanwy , Higginson Irene J. 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
End of life (EoL) care becomes more complex and increasingly takes place in the community, but there is little data on the use of general practice (GP) services to guide care improvement. This study aims to determine the trends and factors associated with GP consultation, prescribing and referral to other care services amongst cancer patients in the last year of life.

Methods
A retrospective cohort study of cancer patients who died in 2000–2014, based on routinely collected primary care data (the Clinical Practice Research DataLink, CPRD) covering a representative sample of the population in the United Kingdom. Outcome variables were number of GP consultations (primary), number of prescriptions and referral to other care services (yes vs no) in the last year of life. Explanatory variables included socio-demographics, clinical characteristics and the status of palliative care needs recognised or not. The association between outcome and explanatory variables were evaluated using multiple-adjusted risk ratio (aRR).

Results
Of 68,523 terminal cancer patients, 70% were aged 70+, 75% had comorbidities and 45.5% had palliative care needs recognised. In the last year of life, a typical cancer patient had 43 GP consultations (Standard deviation (SD): 31.7; total = 3,031,734), 71.5 prescriptions (SD: 68.0; total = 5,074,178), and 21(SD: 13.0) different drugs; 58.0% of patients had at least one referral covering all main clinical specialities. More comorbid conditions, prostate cancer and having palliative care needs recognised were associated with more primary care consultations, more prescriptions and a higher chance of referral (aRRs 1.07–2.03). Increasing age was related to fewer consultations (aRRs 0.77–0.96), less prescriptions (aRR 1.09–1.44), and a higher chance of referral (aRRs 1.08–1.16) but less likely to have palliative care needs recognised (aRRs 0.53–0.89).

Conclusions
GPs are very involved in end of life care of cancer patients, most of whom having complex care needs, i.e. older age, comorbidity and polypharmacy. This highlights the importance of enhancing primary palliative care skills among GPs and the imperative of greater integration of primary care with other healthcare professionals including oncologists, palliative care specialists, geriatricians and pharmacists. Research into the potential of deprescribing is warranted. Older patients have poorer access to both primary care and palliative care need to be addressed in future practices.
Which procedures are performed by general internists practicing primary care in Germany? - a cross-sectional study
Authors: Flaegel Kristina , Brandt Bettina , Goetz Katja , Steinhaeuser Jost 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
Due to differences of residency training programs’ emphases – inpatient vs office-based – internal medicine and family medicine residents consistently reported differences in preparedness to care for common adult conditions. Study’s aim was to add knowledge about procedures that a) are performed by general internists working in primary care and b) should be learned during residency in general internists’ appraisal.

Methods
A cross-sectional postal survey was carried out by using a questionnaire that comprised 90 procedures relevant in primary care. Each procedure implied the two questions “Do you perform this procedure in your own practice?” and “How important do you think it is to learn this procedure during residency?” The final questionnaire was sent to 1002 general internists working in primary care in Germany in May 2015. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 24.0 (SPSS inc., IBM). Next to descriptive statistics subgroup analyses were performed using cross tabulation and Chi-square tests for evaluation of differences in the performance of most frequently performed procedures in urban or rural areas as well as by male or female physicians.

Results
Twenty-eight percent of sent questionnaires (276/1002) could be included in analysis. Mean age of participants was 52 years with 13 years of practice experience; 40% were female.
Twenty-nine (32%) of 90 given procedures were performed by at least half of the participants, foremost technical diagnostics, punctures, procedures of the integument and resuscitation. After Bonferroni correction, five of those procedures were performed by more male than female physicians and two procedures by more physicians working in a rural practice than physicians practicing in an urban location. Moreover, 46 (51%) procedures were assessed as important to learn during residency by at least 50% of participants.

Conclusions
General internists working in German primary care perform a narrow scope of procedures offered by primary care physicians. In order to provide best ambulatory care for patients, residency training programs must ensure training in procedures that are necessary for providing high quality care. Therefore, a consensus aligned with patients’ and health-systems’ needs on procedures required for working as a general internist in primary care is necessary.
Examining health disparities and characteristics in general practice utilization: based on outpatient data from 2014 - 2018 in Shanghai
Authors: Shi Jianwei , Chi Chunhua , Gong Xin , Chen Chen , Yu Wenya , Huang Jiaoling , Zhou Liang , Chen Ning , Yang Yan , Liu Qian , Wang Zhaoxin 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
Since 2000, China has been developing primary care institutions to serve as the gateway to the healthcare system. However, the investment of resources in primary care institutions is not based on the actual medical demands of the public. This study analysed primary care utilization to provide targeted guidance for the improvement of primary healthcare delivery in China.

Methods
We extracted outpatient visit data from all community healthcare centres in Shanghai from 2014 to 2018. Diseases were then classified according to ICD-10 codes. The disease spectrum (frequency, proportion, rank) was stratified by sex, age, and region.

Results
Most primary care outpatients were female (58.20%), 60–79 years old (57.91%), and in suburban regions (62.18%). Chronic diseases accounted for the majority (91.41%). Hypertension, chronic ischaemic heart disease, diabetes, and acute upper respiratory tract infections were the top four disorders for primary care visits regardless of sex. In the group aged 0–18 years, symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings not elsewhere classified accounted for 37.96% of the top 20 reasons. Acute upper respiratory tract infections were the most common diseases in the groups aged 0–18 (11.20%) and 19–39 (11.14%) years. However, hypertension was the most common disease in the group aged > 39 years old (> 20%). There were more outpatients with respiratory and digestive diseases in suburban areas than in urban areas. In addition, problems associated with medical equipment and other healthcare deficiencies were relatively more common in suburban areas (suburban: 4.13%, rank 5; urban: 2.29%, rank 10).

Conclusions
To meet the patients’ needs and to develop the primary care system, the Shanghai government should focus on diseases with regionally high proportions. Disease diagnosis and treatment should be improved in the younger and suburban populations.
Identifying high-need patients with multimorbidity from their illness perceptions and personal resources to manage their health and care: a longitudinal study
Authors: Rijken Mieke , Valderas José Maria , Heins Marianne , Schellevis Francois , Korevaar Joke 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
A proactive person-centred care process is advocated for people with multimorbidity. To that aim, general practitioners may benefit from support in the identification of high-need patients, i.e. patients who are high or suboptimal users of health services and/or have a poor quality of life. To develop such support, we examined whether knowledge about patients’ illness perceptions and personal resources to manage their health and care is useful to identify high-need patients among multimorbid general practice populations.

Methods
Survey data, collected in 2016 and 2017, of 601 patients with two or more chronic diseases (e.g. COPD, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease) registered with 40 general practices in the Netherlands were analysed by logistic regression analysis to predict frequent contact with the general practice, contact with general practice out-of-office services, unplanned hospitalisations and poor health related quality of life. Patients’ illness perceptions and personal resources (education, health literacy, mastery, mental health status, financial resources, social support) were included as predictors.

Results
The four outcomes were only weakly associated among themselves (Phi .07–.19). Patients’ illness perceptions and personal resources were of limited value to predict potentially suboptimal health service use, but they were important predictors of health related quality of life. Patients with a poor health related quality of life could be identified by their previously reported illness perceptions (attributing many symptoms to their chronic conditions (B = 1.479, P < .001), a high level of concern (B = 0.844, P = .002) and little perceived control over their illness (B = -0.728, P = .006)) combined with an experienced lack of social support (B = -0.527, P = .042) and a poor mental health status (B = -0.966, P = .001) (sensitivity 80.7%; specificity 68.1%).

Conclusions
Multimorbid patients who frequently contact the general practice, use general practice out-of-office services, have unplanned hospitalisations or a poor health related quality of life are largely distinct high-need subgroups. Multimorbid patients at risk of developing a poor quality of life can be identified from specific illness beliefs, a poor mental health status and unmet social needs.
Incidence and mortality of new-onset glucose disorders in peritoneal dialysis patients in China: a meta-analysis
Authors: Shi Yanan , Cai Jiajie , Shi Chunxia , Liu Conghui , Li Zhongxin 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
Dialysis patients are at high risk of developing glucose metabolism disturbances (GMDs), such as diabetes mellitus (DM), impaired fast glucose (IFG), and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). However, it is unclear about the incidence of GMDs in Chinese patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD), as well as the influence of new-onset DM (NODM) on the prognosis of PD patients. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to address these issues.

Methods
A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, SinoMed, and CNKI database for studies that evaluated the incidence of GMDs and mortality in patients with PD. Results were expressed as hazard ratio (HR), risk ratio (RR), or estimate (ES) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs).Meta-analysis was performed using a fixed-effects or random-effects model to pool the estimate.

Results
Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled results showed that, the incidences of NODM, NOIGT, and NOIFG were 12% (95%CI: 9, 15%; P < 0.001), 17% (95%CI: 4, 10%; P < 0.001) and 32% (95%CI: 3, 30%, P < 0.001), respectively. Compared with patients without NODM, PD patients with NODM had an increased risk of mortality (HR = 1.59, 95%CI: 1.28, 1.98; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of NODM between PD and hemodialysis (HD) patients (RR = 1.23, 95%CI: 0.61, 2.51; P = 0.562).

Conclusion
Dialysis patients in China had an increased risk of developing GMDs, however, the dialysis modality did not have any significant impact on the incidence of NODM. NODM increased the mortality risk in patients undergoing PD. Thus, physicians should pay attention to the plasma glucose level in patients undergoing dialysis.
Abdominal aortic calcification score as a predictor of clinical outcome in peritoneal dialysis patients: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Ma Dahua , Yan Hao , Yang Xiaoxiao , Yu Zanzhe , Ni Zhaohui , Fang Wei 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
Abdominal aortic calcification assessed by X-ray is recommended to evaluate vascular calcification in dialysis patients. It has been shown that abdominal aortic calcification score (AACS) is a predictor of adverse outcomes in hemodialysis patients, but evidence regarding its prognostic value in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is still insufficient. We aimed to examine the predictive role of AACS for major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and mortality in PD patients.

Methods
Eligible patients undergoing PD between July 2011 and July 2014 were recruited. AACS was quantified using lateral lumbar radiography at recruitment. Patients were prospectively followed up until death, PD cessation, or to the end of the study (August 31, 2018). Both subdistribution hazards and cause-specific hazards models were used to evaluate the association between AACS and MACCE as well as mortality.

Results
292 patients were enrolled, including 160 males (54.8%) with mean age 57.1 ± 15.2 years and median PD duration 28.4 (IQR 12.0, 57.8) months. Among them, 75 (25.7%) patients were comorbid with diabetes, and 94 (32.2%) patients had cardiovascular disease (CVD). The average AACS was 2.0 (0.0, 6.0). Patients were categorized on the tertiles of AACS (Low AACS group, AACS = 0, n = 125; Medium AACS group, AACS 1–4, n = 72; and High AACS group, AACS> 4, n = 95). AACS was associated with age (OR = 1.081, P < 0.001), PD duration (OR = 1.012, P = 0.003), CVD (OR = 1.919, P = 0.020) and diabetes (OR = 2.554, P = 0.002). During the follow-up period of 43.6 (24.6, 50.7) months, there were 65 MACCEs and 84 deaths. Significantly higher cumulative incidences of all-cause mortality (Log-rank = 35.992, P<0.001; Gray = 38.662, P < 0.001) and MACCE (Log-rank = 26.146, P<0.001; Gray = 27.810, P < 0.001) were observed in the upper AACS tertile. AACS was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality (HR = 2.438, 95% CI 1.246–4.772, P = 0.009; SHR = 2.323, 95%CI 1.229–4.389, P = 0.009) and MACCE (HR = 3.455, 95% CI 1.734–6.884, P < 0.001; SHR = 3.063, 95%CI 1.460–6.430, P = 0.003) in this study.

Conclusions
AACS was associated with age, PD duration, CVD and diabetes in PD patients. AACS could predict MACCE and all-cause mortality in this population. It thus might be a safe and feasible method to identify PD patients with adverse outcomes.
Does ligation of the dorsal branch of the cephalic vein affect the patency of a distal forearm arteriovenous fistula? A randomised study
Authors: Zhang Hongtao , Zhu Guizhen , Yan Lei , Lu Yang , Shao Fengmin 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Background
Whether ligation of the dorsal branch of the cephalic vein during the surgical establishment of the radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula (RCAVF) favorably or adversely affects the patency rate of the RCAVF remains controversial. We performed a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of dorsal branch ligation on the patency rate of RCAVF.

Methods
A total of 115 patients who underwent surgical establishment were randomized to two groups treated with or without ligation of the dorsal branch of the cephalic vein during the surgical process. The primary patency rates of the RCAVF at 90, 270, and 360 days after the surgery and the secondary patency rates during a follow-up up to 1 year were compared.

Results
The patency rate did not differ significantly between the two groups at 3, 9, or 12 months after the procedure (P > 0.05). The combined primary patency rates of the RCAVF in patients from both groups at 3, 9 and 12 months after the procedure were 87.6, 82, and 74.5% respectively, while the combined secondary patency rate was 92.2% at the 1-year follow-up. The Log-rank test indicated that the initial patency rate and secondary patency rate did not differ significantly between the two groups (P = 0.674 and 0.759, respectively).

Conclusion
This clinical study indicated that ligation of the dorsal branch of the cephalic vein does not significantly affect the patency of the arteriovenous fistula with a 1-year follow-up.

Trial registration
ISRCTN ISRCTN12288675, Registered 25 September 2019 in the ISRCTN registry. retrospectively registered.