bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Daily physical activity and related risk factors in COPD
Authors: Albarrati Ali M. , Gale Nichola S. , Munnery Maggie M. , Cockcroft John R. , Shale Dennis J. 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background
Factors associated with reduced daily physical activity (DPA) in patients with COPD are still controversial. Physical inactivity in COPD increases risk of cardiovascular disease, frequent exacerbations, reduced health status, and increased symptoms. We hypothesised that reduced DPA in patients with COPD is independent of traditional risk factors including age and spirometry.

Methods
In this cross-sectional study, DPA (over 7 days) was assessed on 88 community stable patients with COPD and 40 controls free from cardiorespiratory disease. Spirometry, body composition, number of exacerbations, handgrip strength (HGS), modified Medical Research Council (mMRC), arterial stiffness, 6-min walking distance (6MWD) and BODE index were also determined. Frequent exacerbation was defined as ≥2 and non-frequent exacerbation < 2.

Results
Patients with COPD had reduced DPA and exercise capacity compared with controls similar in age, BMI and gender, p < 0.001. Frequent exacerbators had less DPA than infrequent exacerbators and both less than controls, p < 0.001. Patients with higher BODE index were less active than those with lower index. Time spent on moderate activity was related to cardiovascular risk factors including arterial stiffness. The DPA in patients was independent of age, gender, spirometry, body composition and HGS, p > 0.05. The level of breathlessness was superior to lung function in predicting the level of DPA.

Conclusion
The level of DPA in COPD was independent of traditional risk factors. Breathlessness score is a better predictor of the DPA than lung function and handgrip strength.
Longitudinal assessment of the health-related quality of life among older people with diabetes: results of a nationwide study in New Zealand
Authors: Shamshirgaran Seyed Morteza , Stephens Christine , Alpass Fiona , Aminisani Nayyereh 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background
The current work examined experiences of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) among older adults with a diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) over time compared to those without a diagnoses DM.

Methods
The sample was drawn from six biennial waves of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement survey, a prospective population-based cohort study of older adults 55–70 years at baseline. Data on sociodemographic factors, health behaviours, chronic disease diagnoses and physical and mental HRQOL (SF-12v2) were obtained using six biennial surveys administered 2006–2016. Generalised Estimating Equation models, adjusted for time-constant and -varying factors, were employed to compare HRQOL and its determinants over time for older adults with and without a diagnosis of DM.

Results
DM was negatively associated with physical HRQOL [β (95% CI) − 7.43 (− 8.41, − 6.44)] with older adults affected by DM reporting scores 7.4 points lower than those without DM. Similarly, the mean Mental HRQOL score was lower among those affected by DM [β = − 4.97 (− 5.93, − 4.01)] however, scores increased over time for both groups (p < 0.001). Greater age, more chronic conditions, sight and sleep problems, obesity, lower annual income, and fewer years of education were predictors of poorer HRQOL among older adults.

Conclusions
Older adults affected by diabetes experienced poorer physical and mental HRQOL compared to those not affected when controlling for a range of sociodemographic and health related indices. A management aim must be to minimise the gap between two groups, particularly as people age.
Clinical effects of switching from minodronate to denosumab treatment in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis: a retrospective study
Authors: Kobayashi Masaki , Sawada Kenjiro , Yoshimura Akihiko , Yamamoto Misa , Shimizu Aasa , Shimura Kotaro , Komura Naoko , Miyamoto Mayuko , Ishida Kyoso , Kimura Tadashi 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background
Denosumab is a major treatment option for patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis; however, the evidence for its use is lacking. Therefore, in this 24-month retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of switching from minodronate (MIN) to denosumab in these patients.

Methods
Patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis either switched from MIN to denosumab (Group 1; n = 32) or continued MIN treatment (Group 2; n = 24). Bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine (L2–L4) and femoral neck was assessed at baseline and every 6 months for 24 months. Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) and N-terminal telopeptide were measured at baseline, 12 months, and 24 months.

Results
Twenty-nine of the 32 patients (90.6%) in group 1 and all patients (24/24) in group 2 completed the 24-month follow-up. Switching from MIN to denosumab (Group 1) significantly increased lumbar BMD at 12, 18, and 24 months (6.1, 7.4, and 9.6%, respectively) and femoral neck BMD at 12, 18, and 24 months (2.8, 3.2, and 3.4%, respectively), whereas MIN continuous treatment (Group 2) showed no significant difference from baseline. Switching therapy also showed a significant decrease in serum BAP from baseline to 12 and 24 months (− 19.3 and − 26.5%, respectively) and serum NTX from baseline to 12 months (− 13.1%), whereas continuous MIN treatment failed to show any significant differences from baseline.

Conclusion
Switching from MIN to denosumab in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis showed clinical benefits with regard to BMD and bone turnover markers in comparison with continuous MIN treatment. It may therefore be a valid treatment option in the clinical setting.
Molecular survey of duck circovirus infection in poultry in southern and southwestern China during 2018 and 2019
Authors: Liu Hao , Li Li Xia , Sun Wen Chao , Shi Ning , Sun Xiu Tao , Jin Ning Yi , Si Xing Kui 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background
Duck circovirus (DuCV) is a potential immunosuppressive virus that causes feather disorders in young ducks. In this study, DuCV obtained from various species of ducks was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in southern and southwestern China (Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan provinces) from 2018 to 2019.

Results
A total of 848 bursa samples were collected from dead Mulard, Cherry Valley Pekin, Muscovy and Mallard ducks from duck farms. The positivity rate of DuCV in the total sample was approximately 36.91%. We found that the prevalence of DuCV in Yunnan (43.09%) was higher than those in Guangxi (34.38%) and Guangdong (34.4%). However, the positivity rates of DuCV in the four duck species were not significantly different (P > 0.05). Nineteen randomly selected complete viral genomes were sequenced. The complete genomes of the DuCV were 1987 to 1995 nt in length, and were 81.7–99.3% homologous to the other 57 sequences in GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses based on the complete genomes of 76 DuCVs showed that the 19 novel DuCV sequences from Guangdong and Guangxi provinces mainly belonged to the DuCV-1 and DuCV-2 genetic groups, respectively. However, the two genotype groups coexisted in Yunnan Province. In addition, recombination analysis showed putative recombination sites in 3 strains in Yunnan that originated from strains Guangdong and Guangxi. Interestingly, the epidemiological investigation showed that Mulard ducks, Cherry Valley Pekin ducks and Muscovy ducks more than 4 weeks old were more susceptible to infection with the novel DuCV than ducks less than 4 weeks old.

Conclusions
These data provide insight into the molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of DuCVs circulating in southern and southwestern China for the first time.
Escherichia coli σ70 promoters allow expression rate control at the cellular level in genome-integrated expression systems
Authors: Schuller Artur , Cserjan-Puschmann Monika , Tauer Christopher , Jarmer Johanna , Wagenknecht Martin , Reinisch Daniela , Grabherr Reingard , Striedner Gerald 
Published: March 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe genome-integrated T7 expression system offers significant advantages, in terms of productivity and product quality, even when expressing the gene of interest (GOI) from a single copy. Compared to plasmid-based expression systems, this system does not incur a plasmid-mediated metabolic load, and it does not vary the dosage of the GOI during the production process. However, long-term production with T7 expression system leads to a rapidly growing non-producing population, because the T7 RNA polymerase (RNAP) is prone to mutations. The present study aimed to investigate whether two σ70promoters, which were recognized by theEscherichia colihost RNAP, might be suitable in genome-integrated expression systems. We applied a promoter engineering strategy that allowed control of expressing the model protein, GFP, by introducinglacoperators (lacO) into the constitutive T5 and A1 promoter sequences.ResultsWe showed that, in genome-integratedE. coliexpression systems that used σ70promoters, the number oflacOsites must be well balanced. Promoters containing three and twolacOsites exhibited low basal expression, but resulted in a complete stop in recombinant protein production in partially induced cultures. In contrast, expression systems regulated by a singlelacOsite and thelacrepressor element,lacIQ, on the same chromosome caused very low basal expression, were highly efficient in recombinant protein production, and enables fine-tuning of gene expression levels on a cellular level.ConclusionsBased on our results, we hypothesized that this phenomenon was associated with the autoregulation of thelacrepressor protein, LacI. We reasoned that the affinity of LacI for thelacOsites of the GOI must be lower than the affinity of LacI to thelacOsites of the endogenouslacoperon; otherwise, LacI autoregulation could not take place, and the lack of LacI autoregulation would lead to a disturbance inlacrepressor-mediated regulation of transcription. By exploiting the mechanism of LacI autoregulation, we created a novelE. coliexpression system for use in recombinant protein production, synthetic biology, and metabolic engineering applications.
Microbial enhanced oil recovery through deep profile control using a conditional bacterial cellulose-producing strain derived from Enterobacter sp. FY-07
Authors: Gao Ge , Ji Kaihua , Zhang Yibo , Liu Xiaoli , Dai Xuecheng , Zhi Bo , Cao Yiyan , Liu Dan , Wu Mengmeng , Li Guoqiang , Ma Ting 
Published: March 2020

AbstractBackgroundHeterogeneity of oil-bearing formations is one of major contributors to low oil recovery efficiency globally. Long-term water flooding will aggravate this heterogeneity by resulting in many large channels during the exploitation process. Thus, injected water quickly flows through these large channels rather than oil-bearing areas, which ultimately leads to low oil recovery. This problem can be solved by profile control using polymer plugging. However, non-deep profile control caused by premature plugging is the main challenge. Here, a conditional bacterial cellulose-producing strain, namelyEnterobactersp. FY-0701, was constructed for deep profile control to solve the problem of premature plugging. Its deep profile control and oil displacement capabilities were subsequently identified and assessed.ResultsThe conditional bacterial cellulose-producing strainEnterobactersp. FY-0701 was constructed by knocking out a copy of fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase (FBP) encoding gene inEnterobactersp. FY-07. Scanning electron microscope observation showed this strain produced bacterial cellulose using glucose rather than glycerol as the sole carbon source. Bacterial concentration and cellulose production at different locations in core experiments indicated that the plugging position of FY-0701 was deeper than that of FY-07. Moreover, enhanced oil recovery by FY-0701 was 12.09%, being 3.86% higher than that by FY-07 in the subsequent water flooding process.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first report of conditional biopolymer-producing strains used in microbial enhance oil recovery (MEOR). Our results demonstrated that the conditional bacterial cellulose-producing strain can in situ produce biopolymer far from injection wells and plugs large channels, which increased the sweep volume of injection water and enhance oil recovery. The construction of this strain provides an alternative strategy for using biopolymers in MEOR.
Daily activity locations k-anonymity for the evaluation of disclosure risk of individual GPS datasets
Authors: Wang Jue , Kwan Mei-Po 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background
Personal privacy is a significant concern in the era of big data. In the field of health geography, personal health data are collected with geographic location information which may increase disclosure risk and threaten personal geoprivacy. Geomasking is used to protect individuals’ geoprivacy by masking the geographic location information, and spatial k-anonymity is widely used to measure the disclosure risk after geomasking is applied. With the emergence of individual GPS trajectory datasets that contains large volumes of confidential geospatial information, disclosure risk can no longer be comprehensively assessed by the spatial k-anonymity method.

Methods
This study proposes and develops daily activity locations (DAL) k-anonymity as a new method for evaluating the disclosure risk of GPS data. Instead of calculating disclosure risk based on only one geographic location (e.g., home) of an individual, the new DAL k-anonymity is a composite evaluation of disclosure risk based on all activity locations of an individual and the time he/she spends at each location abstracted from GPS datasets. With a simulated individual GPS dataset, we present case studies of applying DAL k-anonymity in various scenarios to investigate its performance. The results of applying DAL k-anonymity are also compared with those obtained with spatial k-anonymity under these scenarios.

Results
The results of this study indicate that DAL k-anonymity provides a better estimation of the disclosure risk than does spatial k-anonymity. In various case-study scenarios of individual GPS data, DAL k-anonymity provides a more effective method for evaluating the disclosure risk by considering the probability of re-identifying an individual’s home and all the other daily activity locations.

Conclusions
This new method provides a quantitative means for understanding the disclosure risk of sharing or publishing GPS data. It also helps shed new light on the development of new geomasking methods for GPS datasets. Ultimately, the findings of this study will help to protect individual geoprivacy while benefiting the research community by promoting and facilitating geospatial data sharing.
P-selectin blockade ameliorates lupus nephritis in MRL/lpr mice through improving renal hypoxia and evaluation using BOLD-MRI
Authors: Zhang Liwen , Chen Sheng , Liu Yan , Xu Xueqin , Zhang Qianying , Shao Shuxin , Wang Weiming , Li Xiao 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background
Lupus nephritis is one of the most common and severe complications of systemic lupus erythematosus, of which poor prognosis is indicated by aggravated renal hypoxia and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Cell adhesion molecules play a key role in the progression of lupus nephritis tubulointerstitial lesion, including P-selectin, which mediates the rolling of leukocytes and subsequent adhesion and infiltration and then initiates the inflammatory immune response and ischemia and hypoxia injury. However, the effects and mechanisms of P-selectin in lupus nephritis remain to be investigated, and a noninvasive measurement of lupus nephritis tubulointerstitial hypoxia and fibrosis remains to be explored.

Methods
Thirty-four MRL/lpr mice were randomly divided into the following three groups: MRL/lpr, saline, and anti-P-selectin, which consisted of no treatment, treatment with normal saline, and treatment with anti-P-selectin monoclonal antibody (mAb) from 12 to 16 weeks of age, respectively. Ten male C57BL/6 mice of the same age served as normal controls. 24-h urinary protein, urinary albumin–creatinine ratio, and periodic acid–Schiff were used to assess kidney damage; Western blot or immunohistochemical staining of the hypoxia probe Hypoxyprobe™-1, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), and CD31 were used to evaluate hypoxia in renal tissue; and NADPH oxidase subunit gp91phox and p22phox were used to examine renal oxidative stress. The correlation between kidney injury and blood oxygen level–dependent magnetic resonance imaging (BOLD-MRI) was calculated to assess the clinical value of BOLD-MRI.

Results
P-selectin is upregulated in lupus nephritis. Blocking P-selectin with mAb alleviated renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis, renal hypoxia, and peritubular capillary loss, without alteration of the levels of lupus activity indicators, anti-dsDNA antibody, or complement C3. BOLD-MRI showed that the reduced R2* values in the renal cortex and medulla of lupus mice were increased when treated with anti-P-selectin mAb as compared with those treated with normal saline, which were negatively correlated with Hypoxyprobe™-1 hypoxia probe and the expression of HIF-1α.

Conclusions
Early intervention of lupus nephritis with anti-P-selectin mAb can significantly improve the hypoxic state of the kidney and reduce the severity of tubulointerstitial lesions. BOLD-MRI techniques are noninvasive and can dynamically evaluate the changes in renal lesions and intrarenal oxygenation levels before and after treatment in lupus nephritis.
“Inflammaging” and bone in the OsteoLaus cohort
Authors: Fischer Jessica , Hans Didier , Lamy Olivier , Marques-Vidal Pedro , Vollenweider Peter , Aubry-Rozier Bérengère 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background
“Inflammaging” is a coined term that combines the processes of inflammation (within the normal range) and aging, since chronic, low-grade, systemic inflammation emerges with increasing age. Unlike high-level inflammation, with which deleterious effects on bone no longer need to be demonstrated, it is unclear whether inflammaging exerts deleterious effects on bone too.

Method
We assessed associations between inflammaging — measured via cytokine levels (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP); interleukin-1β (IL-1β); interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)) — and bone parameters (prevalent and incident fractures, bone mineral density (BMD) and trabecular bone score (TBS)) in 1390 postmenopausal women from the OsteoLaus study.

Results
Mean (±SD) age was 64.5 ± 7.6 and mean bone mass index (BMI) 25.9 ± 4.5 kg/m2. Median hs-CRP, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were 1.4 pg/ml, 0.57 pg/ml, 2.36 pg/ml and 4.82 pg/ml, respectively. In total, 10.50% of the participants had a prevalent, low-impact fracture; and, after 5-years of follow up, 5.91% had an incident, low-impact fracture. Mean T-score BMD was − 1.09 ± 1.53 for the spine, − 1.08 ± 1.02 for the femoral neck, and − 0.72 ± 0.96 for the total hip. Mean spine TBS was 1.320 ± 0.10. We found a positive association between hs-CRP and BMD at all sites, and between hs-CRP and the TBS, but none of these associations were significant after adjustment. We found no association between prevalent or incident fractures and hs-CRP. No association was found between IL-1β, IL6 and TNF-α and BMD, TBS or fractures.

Conclusion
Our results suggest that bone imaging and structure parameters are not associated with the low-grade cytokine levels (within the normal range) observed with inflammaging.
Home-based rehabilitation using a soft robotic hand glove device leads to improvement in hand function in people with chronic spinal cord injury:a pilot study
Authors: Osuagwu Bethel A.C. , Timms Sarah , Peachment Ruth , Dowie Sarah , Thrussell Helen , Cross Susan , Shirley Rebecca , Segura-Fragoso Antonio , Taylor Julian 
Published: March 2020

Abstract
Background
Loss of hand function following high level spinal cord injury (SCI) is perceived as a high priority area for rehabilitation. Following discharge, it is often impractical for the specialist care centre to provide ongoing therapy for people living with chronic SCI at home, which can lead to further deterioration of hand function and a direct impact on an individual’s capability to perform essential activities of daily living (ADL).

Objective
This pilot study investigated the therapeutic effect of a self-administered home-based hand rehabilitation programme for people with cervical SCI using the soft extra muscle (SEM) Glove by Bioservo Technologies AB.

Methods
Fifteen participants with chronic cervical motor incomplete (AIS C and D) SCI were recruited and provided with the glove device to use at home to complete a set task and perform their usual ADL for a minimum of 4 h a day for 12 weeks. Assessment was made at Week 0 (Initial), 6, 12 and 18 (6-week follow-up). The primary outcome measure was the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute hand function test (TRI-HFT), with secondary outcome measures including pinch dynamometry and the modified Ashworth scale.

Results
The TRI-HFT demonstrated improvement in hand function at Week 6 of the therapy including improvement in object manipulation (58.3 ±3.2 to 66.9 ±1.8, p ≈ 0.01), and palmar grasp assessed as the length of the wooden bar that can be held using a pronated palmar grip (29.1 ±6.0 cm to 45.8 ±6.8 cm, p <0.01). A significant improvement in pinch strength, with reduced thumb muscle hypertonia was also detected. Improvements in function were present during the Week 12 assessment and also during the follow-up.

Conclusions
Self-administered rehabilitation using the SEM Glove is effective for improving and retaining gross and fine hand motor function for people living with chronic spinal cord injury at home. Retention of improved hand function suggests that an intensive activity-based rehabilitation programme in specific individuals is sufficient to improve long-term neuromuscular activity. Future studies should characterise the neuromuscular mechanism of action and the minimal rehabilitation programme necessary with the assistive device to improve ADL tasks following chronic cervical SCI.

Trial registration number
Trial registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN98677526, Registered 01/June/2017 - Retrospectively registered, http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN98677526