bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
IL-8 promotes the calcification of human aortic valve interstitial cells, which is prevented through antagonizing CXCR1 and CXCR2 receptors
Authors: Dhayni K , Chabry Y , Henaut L , Ouled-Haddou H , Avondo C , Tribouilloy C , Caus T , Zibara K , Kamel S , Bennis Y 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Background/Introduction
Inflammation is a key feature of calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) against which there is currently no pharmacological treatment.

Purpose
To verify the hypothesis that interleukin-8 (IL-8), a pro-inflammatory factor involved in arterial calcifications, also promotes the calcification of human aortic valve interstitial cells (hVICs).

Methods
Primary hVICs were isolated from healthy pieces of aortic valves harvested from patients undergoing surgical valve replacement. They were cultured in a pro-calcifying condition (Pi-3.8mM) with or without IL-8 (5 to 50 pg/ml) for up to 21 days. Calcification was analysed by alizarin red staining and calcium content was measured with the o-cresolphthalein complexone method. The viability of hVICs was verified by the MTT assay. The expression of osteogenic (BMP2, OPN, osterix and ALP) and myofibrotic (alpha-SMA, collagen-1, collagen-3 and elastin) markers as well as that of metalloproteases (MMP-2, -9 and -12) was analysed by RT-qPCR. The expression of IL-8 receptors, CXCR-1 and CXCR-2 was evaluated by Western blot and flow cytometry, and the effects of IL-8 were tested in the presence or absence of SCH527123, an antagonist of CXCR-1 and CXCR-2. Finally, the expression of CXCR-1 and -2 and elastin was analysed by immunohistochemistry in the calcified and non-calcified areas of human aortic valve samples. All of these experiments were carried out from valves of at least 5 different donors and a P&lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results
IL-8 (15 pg/mL) caused a significant ∼2-fold increase in the calcification of hVICs in the Pi condition, compared to the Pi-only condition, without modulation of cell viability. In the presence of Pi, IL-8 exposure significantly stimulated the expression of the transcripts of elastin and MMP-12, an elastase, and reduced that of OPN, a well-known inhibitor of calcification. The effects of IL-8 on hVICs calcification and on the expression of MMP-12, elastin and OPN transcripts were significantly prevented by the addition of SCH527123. In addition, the expression of CXCR-1 and -2 was confirmed in histological samples of human aortic valves. This expression was more pronounced in calcified areas compared to non-calcified areas and co-localized with degraded elastin.

Conclusion
IL-8 promoted the calcification of hVICs in culture. This effect was significantly prevented by antagonizing CXCR-1 and CXCR-2 IL-8 receptors, which we showed for the first time to be expressed by human VICs and aortic valves of patients with CAVS. Further studies are underway to clarify the cellular mechanisms involved.

Funding Acknowledgement
Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): Fédération Hospitalo-Universitaire REMOD-VHF
Alcohol and drug abuse as a manifestation of social stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Semyonova VA , Sabgayda TP , Zubko AV , Ivanova AE , Evdokushkina GN 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

During the pandemic, deaths associated with mental health deterioration due to social stress have contributed to excess mortality. The purpose of the study is to evaluate changes in mortality from causes associated with social stress during the pandemic in Moscow. The analysis is based on the Rosstat statistics and RFS-EMIAS database (Medical death certificates issued by the Moscow health institutions) in 2019-2020. Deaths from mental disorders and suicides during the maximum and minimum excess mortality in Moscow in 2020 were compared to 2019 (May and December, when mortality exceeded the 2019 indicators by 57.2% and 56.7%, and July with the 7.1%) excess. First, the excess mortality from mental disorders in these months was almost entirely due to disorders related to alcohol and drug abuse. Second, alcohol and drug abuse also results in deaths from poisoning. This necessitates a joint evaluation of deaths associated with alcohol and drugs (from mental disorders and poisoning). The evaluation shows that excess deaths from alcohol abuse in men in May 2020 compared to May 2019 equaled to 65%, falling down to 52.3% in July, followed by its maximum (2.5-fold) in December. Females show a steady increase: 52.9%, 76.5% and 2.1-fold, respectively. Distribution by sex of the total deaths associated with drug addiction (mental disorders and poisoning) was reversed: a steady increase in males (55.4% in May, 67% in July and 2.1-fold in December) and a significant decrease in females: 63.6%, 31.6% and 2.7-fold, respectively. Third, the pandemic has paradoxically affected deaths from suicide (including hangings, falls and undetermined intent poisoning). In men, excess deaths equaled to zero in May, 1.2% in July and decreased by 20.6% in December. The female excess suicidal mortality increased: 13.5%, 30.6% and 36.7%, respectively. Thus, the male reaction to social stress caused by the pandemic was passive (alcohol and drug abuse), while the female reaction was aggravated by suicides.

Key messages
During the pandemic, deaths associated with mental health deterioration due to social stress contributed to excess mortality. Alcohol and drug abuse results in deaths not only due to mental disorders.
Data is the new oil. How Covid-19 boosted information transparency in Austria
Authors: Habl CA , Hummer M , Maier G 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Background
Austria has no tradition of sharing administrative or routine (health) data collected by public authorities with researchers and accordingly no corresponding data infrastructure exists. Triggered by the GDPR and the pandemic situation an increasing demand from scientific institutions to obtain access to health care data (e.g. use of resources, patient pathways) for research purposes emerged. The latest governmental program addressed this fundamental request even before the start of the pandemic mainly because one of the members of the current coalition, the Green Party, values information transparency very high. The abolishment of “professional secrecy” and the promotion of research by enabling a comprehensive secondary use of data are cornerstones of their political agenda.

Mathods
The agenda was boosted by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic that made the need for joint and real-time data-based research into SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 evident and eventually led to the establishment of the Covid-19 data platform https://datenplattform-covid.goeg.at in April 2020, which is run by the Austrian National Public Health Institute (G&Ouml;G). Since June 2020 national and international scientific institutions can obtain, free of cost, data from the Epidemiological reporting system which includes core information on COVID-19 infections in Austria. Institutions need to apply with G&Ouml;G for accreditation which is granted (or denied) by the Scientific Advisory Board of the Platform. Data provision is continuously expanded and includes as of now, data on hospital and ICU admissions due to COVID-19 as well as data on SARS-CoV-2 genome sequencing.

Results
In April 2021, 84 institutions (8 international) had applied for access. 60 have been accredited, in line with the rules of procedure (incl. a plausibility check of the applicant against OECD's Frascati-criteria. In total, nine articles using data from the Covid-19 platform have been submitted to scientific journals.

Key messages
On a national level, the Covid-19 data platform, commissioned by the Austrian Ministry of Health (BMSGPK) is an important step towards a modern and transparent health care administration system. Covid-19 and the data platform triggered a debate around the need for a (national) data-governance framework balancing benefits from data usage vs the right to data protection of citizens’ health data.
1.H. Workshop: Health, risk factors and inequalities in the EU: insights from the Global Burden of Disease study
Authors:   Organised by: COST Action CA18218–European Burden of Disease Network,   Chair persons: Brecht Devleesschauwer (Belgium)
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Since the 1990s, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study is providing a wealth of information on the health status of the world's population, at an increasing level of detail. The key metric of the GBD study is the Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY), which allows integrating the impact of morbidity and mortality into a single indicator, thereby providing a more comprehensive basis for evaluating, comparing and ranking the health impact of diseases, injuries, and risk factors. The GBD 2019 study, conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, generated burden estimates for 369 diseases and injuries, and 87 risk factors, in 204 countries and territories, for the period 1990-2019.
Leveraging the GBD 2019 study results, this workshop will paint a picture of the state of health in the European Union, focusing on the main causes of ill health, the main contributing risk factors, and the prevailing health inequalities. The workshop is organized by the European Burden of Disease Network (COST Action CA18218), which actively works to integrate and strengthen the capacity and knowledge in burden of disease assessment assessment across Europe and beyond. As a practical exercise in knowledge translation, the workshop will be an opportunity for participants to get familiar with the concept and importance of burden of disease, the GBD study, and the use of DALYs for population health monitoring and reporting.

Key messages
The Global Burden of Disease study provides comprehensive and comparable worldwide estimates of the population health impact of diseases, injuries, risk factors, and inequalities. Participants will receive a picture of the state of health in the European Union, including the main causes of ill health, the main contributing risk factors, and the prevailing health inequalities.
Occupational inequalities during the pandemic: epidemiological evidence
Authors: Dragano N 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
COVID-19 infection risks at work as well as psychosocial risks following the fundamental changes in the economy during the pandemic were equally distributed across the workforce. Obviously, certain occupations (e.g. health care) had particular high health risks but apart from that it has also been hypothesised that workers in precarious employment or with low occupational positions are also disproportionally affected. This contribution summarizes the epidemiological evidence on the association between occupational inequalities and COVID-19 related burden of disease. It will also comment on the possible mechanisms linking different aspects of precarious work with health during the pandemic - including social protection and occupational safety and health policies at the company level. The presentation relies on an unsystematic literature review conducted in Spring 2021 and on the results of statistical analyses of different datasets including hospitalisation data, official data on COVID-19 cases and a large German cohort study. Briefly, preliminary results suggest occupational inequalities in a) infection risks, b) risk of severe disease in COVID-19 patients, and c) non-COVID-19 outcomes such as depression or anxiety. It has to be noted, howewer, that the number of empirical studies on that issue is surprisingly low - in particular in regard to direct infection risks. The reasons for this lack of data and the possible implications for a timely policy responses have to be discussed.
Risk behavior among people who inject drugs
Authors: Jakubauskiene M , Lindert J 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Background
Addiction to illicit drugs is considered as medical condition requiring effective measures to prevent the disease and minimize harms of this addiction. Injecting drug use increases the risk for acquiring blood-borne infections among people who inject drugs (PWID). The aim of the study was to assess the risk behavior related to the use of intravenous narcotic and psychotropic substances among PWID in Lithuania.

Methods
A cross sectional survey using respondent driven sampling (RDS) of active intravenous drug users (n = 369) in Lithuania has been conducted in 2018-2019. RDS is a peer-referral sampling methodology applied to estimate characteristics of underserved populations that cannot be sampled randomly. 8 seeds were selected in 5 different sites across the country to recruit the study subjects. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were conducted.

Results
Data collection was completed using 4 waves. Each seed yielded 3 to 24 eligible recruits. 80% of the sample were males, 20% - females. Age mean is 36.8 years, SD-7.69. The age of debut injecting drugs was 13 years, average age 20 years, SD 4.8. Average injecting duration was 12 years. 76% were incarcerated during their lifetime. 59% of PWID reported injecting heroin, 39% phentanyl, 13% amphetamines. 79% reported using sterile needles and syringes while injecting the last time and 21% were not. 17% were sharing non sterile injecting equipment during the last 30 days.

Conclusions
Younger age when started injecting drugs, duration of injecting drugs and imprisonment increased the risk of using unsterile needles and syringes and sharing injecting equipment.

Main messages
Behavioural risk factors are related to higher risks of drug use related infectious diseases. Targeted psychosocial interventions are needed to prevent the behavioural risks of injecting drug use.
Health workforce protection and preparedness during COVID-19: a rapid assessment of EU countries
Authors: Kuhlmann E , Brînzac M , Burau V , Correia T , Ungureanu M-I 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Background
Healthcare workers face high pressures and new threats during the COVID-19 pandemic, and health systems and governance are key to improve preparedness and protection. This study aims to introduce a tool for rapid assessment based on an integrated multi-level governance approach and to empirically explore preparedness and protection.

Methods
The study is explorative in nature and applies a comparative approach. The assessment tool comprises four major dimensions of governance: system, sector, occupational and sociocultural issues (focus on gender issues and migrant healthcare workers) of protection and preparedness. Secondary sources and expert information serve the empirical exercise, using material from Denmark, Germany, Portugal and Romania.

Results
We revealed similar developments across countries: action has been taken to improve physical protection, vaccination of healthcare workers and digitalisation, while social and mental health support programmes were poor or lacking. Developments were more diverse in relation to occupational/ organisational preparedness: some ad-hoc transformations of work routines and tasks were observed in all countries, yet skill-mix innovation and collaboration were strong in Demark and weak in Portugal and Romania. We are able to identify major governance gaps in relation to integration of education and health systems, social and mental health support programmes, gendered issues of health workforce capacity, integration of migrant healthcare workers, and comprehensive surveillance and monitoring.

Conclusions
There is a need to step up efforts and make health systems more accountable to the needs of healthcare workers during global public health emergencies.
Combining personalised medicine and patient-centered care in breast cancer: a systematic review
Authors: Castagna C , Pellegrino R , Morsella A , Boccia S , Pastorino R , De Belvis AG 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Background
Breast Cancer (BC) is estimated to cause 2.3 million yearly new cases worldwide. Efforts towards standardized, quality assured and effective care have led to an increasing complexity and specialization of BC management. This systematic review's aim is to describe the state-of-the art of available literature investigating the enactment of personalised medicine and patient-centered care models in BC practice and build a framework towards personalised BC care within a patient-centered model.

Methods
Databases were searched to retrieve articles reporting on BC management, evaluated in terms of patient-centered and personalised medicine approaches, assessing success factors or limits, in English, from the inception to December 2020. The investigated dimensions for patient-centered care models were audits, communication, informative systems and multidisciplinarity. Concerning Personalised Medicine, investigations were related to molecular boards, genetic testing and shared-clinical decision-making.

Results
Out of 1885 records, 25 studies were included in the qualitative analysis. The main success factors are multi-professional collaborations with defined roles and responsibilities, training programs on genomic tools and adequate communication strategy (i.e universal genomic language) to involve patients in the decision-making process. Among detected barriers, delays in genetic testing use were linked to the lack of public reimbursement and of clarity in timing and appropriateness.

Conclusions
Both these models are complementary and needed to ensure effective changes in the path of BC patient management. Our framework aims to the transformation of standardized application of evidence-based medicine into a dynamic and personalised care pathway.

Key messages
The combination of the two care delivery approaches is scarcely investigated in literature. Our framework would allow to fill such gap and attributes a key role to sharing the decision-making process.
Chronic Kidney Disease and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Al Khalaf SY , Bodunde E , Maher G , O'Reilly ÉJ , McCarthy FP , O'Shaughnessy M , O’Neill SM , Khashan AS 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Objective
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been linked with adverse pregnancy outcomes, but few studies have examined the influence of cause and severity. The aim of this meta-analysis was to synthesize the evidence on CKD and adverse pregnancy outcome, by cause and severity of CKD where reported.

Data sources
We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to May 2021. Study selection and Data Extraction: Studies reporting associations between CKD and adverse pregnancy outcomes were included according to pre-defined eligibility criteria (PROSPERO protocol registration: CRD42020211925). Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full-text articles and performed data extraction. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach.
Main Outcomes and Measures: We used random-effects meta-analyses to calculate pooled estimates. Primary outcomes included pre-eclampsia, Caesarean section (CS), preterm birth (PTB &lt;37 wk.) and small for gestational age (SGA).

Results
In total, 31 studies were included. The certainty of the evidence was deemed to be ‘very low' for all outcomes using the GRADE approach as expected given the observational study design. Pre-pregnancy CKD was associated with pre-eclampsia [pooled adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.58 (1.33-5.01)], CS [aOR=1.65 (1.21-2.25)], PTB [aOR=1.73 (1.31-2.27)] and SGA [aOR= 1.93 (1.06-3.52)]. Subgroup analyses suggested that different causes of CKD had differing risks for adverse pregnancy outcomes, and later stages of CKD, compared to earlier stages, were associated with higher odds of pre-eclampsia [crude OR = 2.77 (1.73-4.44)], PTB [4.21 (2.99-5.92)], and SGA [2.43 (1.33-4.46)].

Conclusions
CKD was associated with a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, and the degree of risk varied by cause and severity. These findings highlight the need for further studies of a more robust quality evaluating the effects of cause and severity of kidney disease on adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Key messages
Pre-pregnancy CKD was associated with higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes varied by CKD cause and severity.
Public Mental Health services in the European region during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wilson N , McDaid S , Wieber F , Lindert J 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
The European Public Health Association (EUPHA), in conjunction with the Mental Health Foundation UK, conducted a purposely designed online survey of public and mental health professionals from across Europe, exploring public mental health responses to the pandemic in different regions, nations and localities. Participants were recruited from EUPHAs mental health division and through snowballing. Four broad areas were explored, namely; (1) perceived changes in available mental health supports during the pandemic; (2) whether or not a public mental health response plan had been developed; (3) if any demographic groups or priority areas had been given particularly consideration in this response and (4) how the response had been developed (i.e. whether intersectoral approaches had been adopted and the perceived degree to which service users and carers had been included in its development). Forty-four survey responses from twenty different European nations were collected and grouped according to whether respondents were practising in countries with low, medium or high COVID-19 incidence rates. The majority of responses were from public health professionals with over 20 years of experience. Results indicated wide variations in policy responses to the crisis and in the way mental health services have adapted to date. However, in the majority of countries surveyed, while an increase in online mental health supports during the pandemic was reported, no change in long term funding for mental health supports was observed. In addition, in the majority of countries, several vulnerable groups were rarely given specific attention in policy responses, namely low-income families, people with long-term health conditions or disabilities and ethnic minorities. In this workshop we will discuss the findings from this survey and explore what insights might be learned from experiences across Europe to date.