bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
CACNA1A Gene Variants in Eight Chinese Patients With a Wide Range of Phenotypes
Authors: Zhang Linxia , Wen Yongxin , Zhang Qingping , Chen Yan , Wang Jiaping , Shi Kaili , Du Lijun , Bao Xinhua 
Published: December 2020

Background: The CACNA1A gene encodes the voltage-dependent P/Q-type calcium channel subunit alpha-1A, which is widely expressed throughout the CNS. The biological roles of the P/Q channel are diverse and the phenotypic spectrum caused by CACNA1A mutations is wide. The aim of this study is to demonstrate its phenotypic diversity and analyze the genotype-phenotype correlations in a cohort of Chinese patients.Methods: Patients with hemiplegic migraine, cerebellar ataxia, developmental delay, or epilepsy without known causes were tested by trios whole-exome sequencing. Patients with pathogenic CACNA1A gene variants were recruited. The clinical information of the patients was collected, and the association between the genotype and the phenotype was investigated.Results: In total, eight patients (six females and two males) were found to have CACNA1A gene variants. All the variants were de novo including six missense variants and one frameshift variant. Four de novo missense variants were found in five patients located in the S4, S5, or S6 transmembrane segments of Domain II and III (p.R1352Q, p.G701V, p.A713T, p.V1393M). All of them were correlated with severe phenotypes, including three with sporadic hemiplegic migraine type 1 and epilepsy, and two with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. The other two missense variants, p.Y62C and p.F1814L, located in the cytoplasmic side of the N-terminus and C-terminus, respectively. The variant p.Y62C was associated with severe hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome, and p.F1814L was associated with relatively mild phenotypes. All the missense variants were speculated as gain-of-function (GOF) mutations. The only frameshift variant, p.Q681Rfs*100, a lose-of-function (LOF) mutation, was found in a patient with episodic ataxia type 2. Meanwhile, all the patients had developmental delay ranging from mild to severe, as well as cerebellar ataxia including one with congenital ataxia, one with episodic ataxia, and six with non-progressive ataxia.Conclusions:CACNA1A variants could lead to a wide spectrum of neurological disorders including epileptic or non-epileptic paroxysmal events, cerebellar ataxia, and developmental delay. The variants could be both GOF and LOF mutations. There appeared to be some correlations between genotypes and phenotypes.
In Vitro Effects of St. John’s Wort Extract Against Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress and in the Phagocytic and Migratory Activity of Mouse SIM-A9 Microglia
Authors: Bonaterra Gabriel A. , Mierau Olga , Hofmann Johanna , Schwarzbach Hans , Aziz-Kalbhenn Heba , Kolb Christiane , Kinscherf Ralf 
Published: December 2020

Introduction: Herbal medicinal plants as Hypericum perforatum L., known as St. John’s wort (SJW) have been in use for a long time. SJW that is specifically used for the treatment of depressive disorders. Inflammatory cytokines derived from microglia play an important role in the regulation of the synthesis and reuptake of glutamate and influence synaptic function, morphology and neuronal plasticity. The present study was performed to investigate, whether STW3-VI, a special SJW extract has protective effects on mouse SIM-A9 microglia against cytotoxic and proinflammatory effects of ROS, glutamate, NMDA or cortisol. Additionally, we investigated the effects of SJW on migratory and phagocytic properties of microglia.Results: Pre-treatment (48 h) of microglia with STW3-VI (5 or 10 μg/ml)—in contrast to desipramine—inhibited the H2O2-induced TNF-α release by 20–40%. Pre-treatment (48 h) of microglia with STW3-VI (5 or 10 μg/ml) delayed the 3 or 4 mM H2O2-induced intracellular ROS level by 26.9 and 44.4%, respectively. Furthermore, pre-treatment (48 h) of microglia with STW3-VI (5 μg/ml) - in contrast to desipramine - lowered the glutamate-induced cytotoxicity by 13.2%. Besides, pre-treatment (48 h) of microglia with STW3-VI (5 or 10 μg/ml) or desipramine (5 µM) inhibited the NMDA-induced decrease of the viability by 16.5–28.8% or 12%, respectively. Finally, pre-treatment (48 h) of microglia with STW3-VI (5 or 10 μg/ml)—in contrast to desipramine - reduced the cortisol-induced cytotoxicity by 15.5 and 12.9%. Treatment of microglia with STW3-VI (10 or 100 μg/ml) increased the migratory and the phagocytic capacities by 100 and 40%.Conclusion: Our data provide evidence that STW3-VI—in contrast to desipramine - protects microglia from oxidative stress, NMDA- or glutamate-induced cytotoxicity, and has anti-inflammatory properties that are accompanied by improvement of their migratory and phagocytic capacity. These protective (particularly the anti-inflammatory) properties may be beneficial in the treatment of depressive disorders.
Hydroxychloroquine as Prophylaxis for COVID-19: A Review
Authors: Monti Manuela , Vertogen Bernadette , Masini Carla , Donati Caterina , Lilli Claudia , Zingaretti Chiara , Musuraca Gerardo , De Giorgi Ugo , Cerchione Claudio , Farolfi Alberto , Cortesi Pietro , Viale Pierluigi , Martinelli Giovanni , Nanni Oriana 
Published: December 2020

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has led to a desperate search for effective drugs and vaccines. There are still no approved agents for disease prophylaxis. We thus decided to use a drug repositioning strategy to perform a state-of-the-art review of a promising but controversial drug, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), in an effort to provide an objective, scientific and methodologically correct overview of its potential prophylactic role. The advantage of using known drugs is that their toxicity profile is well known and there are fewer commercial interests (e.g., expired patents), thus allowing the scientific community to be freer of constraints. The main disadvantage is that the economic resources are almost always insufficient to promote large multinational clinical trials. In the present study, we reviewed the literature and available data on the prophylactic use of HCQ. We also took an in-depth look at all the published clinical data on the drug and examined ongoing clinical trials (CTs) from the most important CT repositories to identify a supporting rationale for HCQ prophylactic use. Our search revealed a substantial amount of preclinical data but a lack of clinical data, highlighting the need to further assess the translational impact of in vitro data in a clinical setting. We identified 77 CTs using a multiplicity of HCQ schedules, which clearly indicates that we are still far from reaching a standard of care. The majority of the CTs (92%) are randomized and 53% are being conducted in a phase 3 or 2/3 setting. The comparator is placebo or control in 55 (77%) of the randomized studies. Forty-eight (62%) CTs expect to enroll up to 1,000 subjects and 50 (71%) plan to recruit healthcare workers (HCW). With regard to drug schedules, 45 (58.5%) CTs have planned a loading dose, while 18 (23.4%) have not; the loading dose is 800 mg in 19 trials (42.2%), 400 mg in 19 (42.2%), 600 mg in 4 (8.9%) and 1,200 mg in 1 (2.2%). Forty trials include at least one daily schedule, while 19 have at least one weekly schedule. Forty-one (53.2%) will have a treatment duration of more than 30 days. Awaiting further developments that can only derive from the results of these prospective randomized CTs, the take-home message of our review is that a correct methodological approach is the key to understanding whether prophylactic HCQ can really represent an effective strategy in preventing COVID-19.
Centrality of Pregnancy and Prenatal Attachment in Pregnant Nulliparous After Recent Elective or Therapeutic Abortion
Authors: Smorti Martina , Ponti Lucia , Bonassi Lucia , Cattaneo Elena , Ionio Chiara 
Published: December 2020

BackgroundThere are two types of voluntary interruption of pregnancy: elective and therapeutic abortion. These forms are different for many reasons, and it is reasonable to assume that they can have negative consequences that can last until a subsequent gestation. However, no study has analyzed the psychological experience of gestation after a previous abortion, distinguishing the two forms of voluntary interruption of pregnancy.ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the level of prenatal attachment and centrality of pregnancy in nulliparous low-risk pregnant women with a recently (&lt;3 years) previous elective or therapeutic abortion.MethodsA total of 34 nulliparous pregnant women with a history of abortion (23 elective and 11 therapeutic abortion), aged from 27 to 48 years (mean = 37.17), were recruited in the maternity ward of a public hospital of the metropolitan area of Tuscany and Lombardy (Italy) during the third trimester of gestation. The participants filled out a battery of questionnaires aimed at assessing prenatal attachment and centrality of pregnancy.ResultsAnalyses of variance showed that women with a history of elective abortion reported a higher centrality of pregnancy than women with a past therapeutic abortion. On the contrary, women with a past therapeutic abortion reported higher prenatal attachment.ConclusionElective and therapeutic abortions are different experiences that impact the way women experience a subsequent pregnancy. Future research should further investigate the psychological experience of gestation after abortion.
Psychological Status Among Anesthesiologists and Operating Room Nurses During the Outbreak Period of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China
Authors: Li Xin-yi , Wang Jin , Zhang Rui-xian , Chen Luhua , He Colin K. , Wang Cheng-yao , Ke Jian-juan , Wang Yan-lin , Zhang Zong-ze , Song Xue-min 
Published: December 2020

Background: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a novel strain of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) posed a major threat to public health. Anesthesiologists and operating room (OR) nurses are at high risk of occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and developing COVID-19. We conducted a single-center survey to investigate the psychological status and perceived social support among operation room (OR) medical staffs during the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods: A total of 197 OR medical staffs were enrolled in the survey. The authors performed a cohort study during the period of Wuhan lockdown and then conducted a longitudinal follow-up after lifting of lockdown. The Patient Health Questionaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess for depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) was used to assess perceived social support. We compared the psychological status of OR medical staffs before and after lifting of Wuhan lockdown.Results: During the period of city lockdown, 177 (89.8%) had close contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases. The prevalence of depression and anxiety in OR medical staffs was 41.6 and 43.1% under Wuhan lockdown, while 13.2 and 15.7% after lifting of lockdown (P = 0.002, P = 0.004). Logistic regression analysis showed that being female, living in suburb areas, shortage of protective equipment and close contact with COVID-19 patients were associated with a higher risk of depression and anxiety. Perceived social support was negatively correlated with depression and anxiety severity in the OR medical staffs (P &lt; 0.05).Conclusions: OR medical staffs exhibited high incidence of anxiety and depression faced with the high risk of exposure to COVID-19 patients. More social support and social recognition for anesthesiologists and OR nurses might potentially help them relieve their psychological pressure.
Psychological, Social and Health-Related Challenges in Spanish Older Adults During the Lockdown of the COVID-19 First Wave
Authors: Rodríguez-González Raquel , Facal David , Martínez-Santos Alba-Elena , Gandoy-Crego Manuel 
Published: December 2020

Background: The global pandemic of COVID-19 has required a population lockdown. Spain has one of the oldest/most aging populations in the world and was one of the most affected countries. We aim to describe the psychological and social implications as well as health-related behaviors as a result of the lockdown in community-dwelling older adults.Materials and Methods: Observational cross-sectional study. A total of 528 participants of over 60 years of age were recruited using snowball sampling technique during the lockdown of the COVID-19 first wave using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire composed of descriptive questions and validated scales for resilience (Brief Resilient Coping Scale) and emotions (Scale of Positive And Negative Experience).Results: Most participants (76.9%) live with other people and have an open space at home (64%). Only 33.7% continued doing activities to promote healthy aging, 65.7% did less physical activity and 25.6% increased their intellectual activity. Most of them (83%) used electronic communication with family and friends to a greater extent, and left the house to run basic errands. Greater scores on resilience showed significant negative correlations with age and negative feelings, and positive correlations with the size of the social network and positive feelings. Lacking an open space at home was associated with more negative feelings.Discussion: Older people are a vulnerable group severely affected by this pandemic crisis at multiple levels, requiring specific interventions to minimize the effects of changes in lifestyle that may be harmful. Detecting needs is essential to improve care and support from community health and social services, both nowadays and in future similar situations.
Community Environments That Promote Intergenerational Interactions vs. Walking Among Older Adults
Authors: Zhong Sinan , Lee Chanam , Lee Hanwool 
Published: December 2020

Background: Intergenerational interactions and walking are two of the most beneficial forms of activities for older adults. As older adults spend most of their time at or near home, the characteristics of the proximate residential environments are particularly important for supporting those activities. This study aims to (1) explore places used for various social interactions older adults engage in, (2) examine specific neighborhood environmental features associated with intergenerational interactions, and (3) compare similarities and differences in environmental correlates of intergenerational interactions vs. walking.Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed self-reported survey data from 455 community-dwelling adults aged 65+ from Austin, Texas, as well as Geographic Information System (GIS) measures capturing the neighborhood environment around each participant's home. Descriptive statistics were used for Aim 1. Multivariable binary logistic models were used for Aims 2 and 3, to identify environmental variables predicting the odds of participating in intergenerational interactions (with children 1+ times/week, and with children, teenagers, or adults 1+ times/week) in one's neighborhood, as well as walking 1+ times/week for transportation or recreation purposes.Results: Participants had a mean age of 73 years, and were primarily female (72.1%) and non-Hispanic white (72.8%). Older adults interacted frequently with adults (79.2%, 1+ times/week) and other older adults (66.9%) in their neighborhood, while less frequently with children (28.0%) and teenagers (21.9%). Recreational walking (73.3%, 1+ times/week) was more popular for older adults than transportation walking (43.8%). Multivariable analyses showed that neighborhood perceptions, transportation infrastructure, land uses, land covers, population densities, development activities, and composite scores were significant predictors of intergenerational activities. Both similarities and differences were found in terms of the neighborhood environmental factors associated with intergenerational interactions vs. walking although differences were more evident in the domains of land covers, development activities, and composite scores.Conclusions: Given the significant health benefits, promoting intergenerational interactions and walking among older adults should be a national/global responsibility. Further work is needed to improve our understanding of the specific social and physical environmental facilitators as well as barriers to creating intergenerational communities that can support healthy living of all generations.
The Expression of Proteins Related to Serotonin Pathway in Pulmonary Arteries of Dogs Affected With Pulmonary Hypertension Secondary to Degenerative Mitral Valve Disease
Authors: Sakarin Siriwan , Surachetpong Sirilak Disatian , Rungsipipat Anudep 
Published: December 2020

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) can cause medial thickening, a hallmark of pulmonary arterial remodeling. The serotonin (5HT) pathway has been suggested as a factor associated with PH by inducing pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) proliferation, a major cause of medial thickening. This study aims to demonstrate the expression of molecules in the 5HT pathway in the pulmonary artery of dogs affected with PH secondary to degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD) compared to DMVD and healthy control dogs.Materials and Methods: The study included lung samples from the carcasses of 19 older small-breed dogs (Control n = 5, DMVD n = 7, DMVD+PH n = 7). Lung tissue sections were performed Hematoxylin and Eosin staining for measuring the percentage of medial thickness and immunohistochemistry for evaluating the expression of proteins in the 5HT pathway including serotonin transporter (SERT), serotonin 2A receptor (5HT2A), tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), extracellular regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and phosphorylated ERK1/2 (pERK1/2).Results: Medial thickening of the pulmonary arteries was found in the DMVD and DMVD+PH groups compared to the control. The medial thickening of the DMVD+PH group was increased significantly compared to that in the DMVD group. Intracytoplasmic expression of proteins related to the 5HT pathway was mainly presented in the medial layer of the pulmonary arteries. The control group showed a low expression of proteins related to the 5HT pathway. An intensive expression of SERT, 5HT2A, TPH1, and ERK1/2 protein was seen in the DMVD and DMVD+PH groups. Interestingly, pERK1/2 was strongly represented only in the DMVD+PH group.Conclusions: Overexpression of proteins related to the 5HT pathway including SERT, 5HT2A, TPH1, ERK1/2, and pERK1/2 was associated with medial remodeling in dogs affected with secondary to DMVD.
Turismo y Áreas Naturales Protegidas en México: una aproximación a su estudio desde la Ecología Política
Authors: Palafox-Muñoz Alejandro , Vilchis-Onofre Adrian Alejandro 
Published: December 2020

Resumen: Con la crítica al deterioro ambiental, causado por el sistema económico, se han modificado las estrategias de penetración del modelo neoliberal en los espacios rurales, a fin de establecer una hegemonía instituida desde los organismos internacionales, pero aparentando consenso entre actores sociales e interés en el desarrollo comunitario mediante la nueva ruralidad. Dicha política ha motivado el cambio de las actividades primarias al sector servicios. El papel del Estado es el de establecer las condiciones para la mercantilización de la naturaleza, para lo cual se basa en dos estrategias: turismo para la valoración económica del paisaje; y Áreas Naturales Protegidas para garantizar la propiedad del territorio; ambos elementos siempre bajo el discurso de la sustentabilidad. El presente documento pretende, mediante una revisión de las bases de la ecología política, contribuir al estudio de la nueva relación entre el hombre y la naturaleza mediada por la subordinación de las relaciones de producción y subsunción de los medios de producción al capital utilizando como ejes estratégicos el turismo y las Áreas Naturales Protegidas.
Palabras clave: Áreas Naturales Protegidas. Ecología Política. Turismo.
Bibliometric Analysis of Bibliometric Studies on Tourism Published in Turkey
Authors: Yilmaz Ibrahim 
Published: December 2020

Abstract: This paper utilizes bibliometric analysis to evaluate tourism related bibliometric articles published in peer-reviewed journals in Turkey. To do this, a total of 48 scholarly articles in the past decade (from 2009 to 2018) were included in the analysis. According to the results, the maximum volume of articles was published in 2018. The majority of the articles have multiple authors. The most prolific authors were research assistants and assistant professors. Balikesir University was the top contributor institution. Journal of Tourism and Gastronomy Studies was the leading journal. The most popular theme/subject of the papers was Gastronomy and Culinary Arts. This study is the first specific bibliometric study in international literature that revealed the profile of tourism related bibliometric articles in Turkey. It is also important in terms of theoretical and practical implications for future research in the field.
Keywords: Tourism. Bibliometric Analysis. Scientific Articles. Turkey.
Residents’ Perception Towards Thermal Tourism Impacts
Authors: Bertan Serkan 
Published: December 2020

Abstract: This study involves an analysis of residents’ perceptions towards tourism impacts. In line with this purpose, secondary data were analyzed first and then data were collected through field research. Field research involved using questionnaire forms to collect data. Questionnaires were implemented through face-to-face method with the residents of Karahayıt destination. Factor analysis was conducted with the purpose of identifying variable groups of the perceptions towards thermal tourism impacts, and regression analysis was conducted to analyze the factors impacting the support of residents for thermal tourism development. As a result of factor analysis, statements were grouped under four factors in scope of classifications differentiating these as social and living costs-benefits. Regression analysis was conducted for the relation between support of residents for the developments of thermal tourism, and social and living costs-benefits. The findings showed that social benefit, living benefit, living cost and social cost variables had a significant impact on the support of residents for the developments of thermal tourism. The independent variable with the highest explanation rate in regard to the dependent variable was found to be social benefit, followed by living benefit, living cost and social cost.
Keywords: Residents. Residents’ Perceptions. Thermal Tourism. Thermal Tourism Development.
Homogeneous chemical state of self-doped polyaniline sub-micrometer thickness lines fabricated by fountain-pen lithography
Authors: Bao Jiannan , Otsuka Yoichi , Matsumoto Takuya 
Published: December 2020

Abstract
The fabrication of molecular films by coating a conductive polymer solution on a substrate is an active topic in molecular electronics research. Since the inhomogeneity of polymer thin films modulates the chemical states and electrical properties of these films, the construction of integrated polymer devices requires methods to fabricate controllable, homogeneous molecular films as small patterns. Herein, we report the reproducible fabrication of sub-micrometer thickness self-doped polyaniline lines with high homogeneity by fountain-pen lithography (FPL). Compared with commonly used drop-casting and spin-coating methods, the fabrication of line patterns by FPL allows good control of line size, chemical/micro structures, and electronic properties, as demonstrated here by microscope Raman spectroscopy and conductance measurements. Supplying an identical amount of solution from a nanopipette and rapid solvent evaporation are likely crucial for fabricating homogeneous line patterns. This method is promising for the development of molecular electronic devices and the characterization of polymeric materials.