bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women’s Reproductive Health
Authors: Phelan Niamh , Behan Lucy Ann , Owens Lisa 
Published: March 2021

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the lives of the global population. It is known that periods of stress and psychological distress can affect women’s menstrual cycles. We therefore performed an observational study of women’s reproductive health over the course of the pandemic thus far.Materials and MethodsAn anonymous digital survey was shared by the authors via social media in September 2020. All women of reproductive age were invited to complete the survey.Results1031 women completed the survey. Mean age was 36.7 ± 6.6 years (range, 15–54). 693/70% reported recording their cycles using an app or diary. 233/23% were using hormonal contraception. 441/46% reported a change in their menstrual cycle since the beginning of the pandemic. 483/53% reported worsening premenstrual symptoms, 100/18% reported new menorrhagia (p = 0.003) and 173/30% new dysmenorrhea (p &lt; 0.0001) compared to before the pandemic. 72/9% reported missed periods who not previously missed periods (p = 0.003) and the median number of missed periods was 2 (1–3). 17/21% of those who “occasionally” missed periods pre-pandemic missed periods “often” during pandemic. 467/45% reported a reduced libido. There was no change in the median cycle length (28 days) or days of bleeding (5) but there was a wider variability of cycle length (p = 0.01) and a 1 day median decrease in the minimum (p &lt; 0.0001) and maximum (p = 0.009) cycle length. Women reported a median 2 kg increase in self-reported weight and a 30-min increase in median weekly exercise. 517/50% of women stated that their diet was worse and 232/23% that it was better than before the pandemic. 407/40% reported working more and 169/16% were working less. Women related a significant increase in low mood (p &lt; 0.0001), poor appetite (p &lt; 0.0001), binge eating (p &lt; 0.0001), poor concentration (p &lt; 0.0001), anxiety (p &lt; 0.0001), poor sleep (p &lt; 0.0001), loneliness (p &lt; 0.0001) and excess alcohol use (p &lt; 0.0001). Specific stressors reported included work stress (499/48%), difficulty accessing healthcare (254/25%), change in financial (201/19%) situation, difficulties with home schooling (191/19%) or childcare (99/10%), family or partner conflict (170/16%), family illness or bereavement (156/15%).ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the reproductive health of women. The long term health implications of this are yet to be determined and future studies should address this.
The Efficacy and Potential Mechanisms of Metformin in the Treatment of COVID-19 in the Diabetics: A Systematic Review
Authors: Zangiabadian Moein , Nejadghaderi Seyed Aria , Zahmatkesh Mohammad Mahdi , Hajikhani Bahareh , Mirsaeidi Mehdi , Nasiri Mohammad Javad 
Published: March 2021

IntroductionDiabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common comorbidities among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which may exacerbate complications of this new viral infection. Metformin is an anti-hyperglycemic agent with host-directed immune-modulatory effects, which relieve exaggerated inflammation and reduce lung tissue damage. The current systematic review aimed to summarize the available evidence on the potential mechanism of action and the efficacy of metformin in COVID-19 patients with DM.MethodsA systematic search was carried out in PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL), and Web of Science up to July 30, 2020. The following keywords were used: “COVID-19”, “SARS-CoV-2”, “2019-nCoV”, “metformin”, and “antidiabetic drug”.ResultsFourteen studies were included in our systematic review. Three of them were observational with 6,659 participants. Decreasing insulin resistance, reduction of some inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and TNF-α, modulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, and improving neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio are some of the potential mechanisms of metformin in COVID-19 patients with DM. Nine out of fourteen articles revealed the positive effect of metformin on the prognosis of COVID-19 in diabetic or even non-diabetic patients. Moreover, different studies have shown that metformin is more effective in women than men.ConclusionsThe use of metformin may lead to improve the clinical outcomes of patients with mild to moderate SARS-CoV-2, especially in diabetic women. Further observational studies should be conducted to clarify the effects of metformin as a part of the treatment strategy of COVID-19.
A Novel Low-Cost, High-Resolution Camera System for Measuring Peat Subsidence and Water Table Dynamics
Authors: Evans Chris D. , Callaghan Nathan , Jaya Adi , Grinham Alistair , Sjogersten Sofie , Page Susan E. , Harrison Mark E. , Kusin Kitso , Kho Lip Khoon , Ledger Martha , Evers Stephanie , Mitchell Zak , Williamson Jennifer , Radbourne Alan D. , Jovani-Sancho A. Jonay 
Published: March 2021

Peatlands are highly dynamic systems, able to accumulate carbon over millennia under natural conditions, but susceptible to rapid subsidence and carbon loss when drained. Short-term, seasonal and long-term peat surface elevation changes are closely linked to key peatland attributes such as water table depth (WTD) and carbon balance, and may be measured remotely using satellite radar and LiDAR methods. However, field measurements of peat elevation change are spatially and temporally sparse, reliant on low-resolution manual subsidence pole measurements, or expensive sensor systems. Here we describe a novel, simple and low-cost image-based method for measuring peat surface motion and WTD using commercially available time-lapse cameras and image processing methods. Based on almost two years’ deployment of peat cameras across contrasting forested, burned, agricultural and oil palm plantation sites in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, we show that the method can capture extremely high resolution (sub-mm) and high-frequency (sub-daily) changes in peat surface elevation over extended periods and under challenging environmental conditions. WTD measurements were of similar quality to commercially available pressure transducers. Results reveal dynamic peat elevation response to individual rain events, consistent with variations in WTD. Over the course of the relatively severe 2019 dry season, cameras in deep-drained peatlands recorded maximum peat shrinkage of over 8 cm, followed by partial rebound, leading to net annual subsidence of up to 5 cm. Sites with higher water tables, and where borehole irrigation was used to maintain soil moisture, had lower subsidence, suggesting potential to reduce subsidence through altered land-management. Given the established link between subsidence and CO2 emissions, these results have direct implications for the management of peatlands to reduce high current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Camera-based sensors provide a simple, low-cost alternative to commercial elevation, WTD and GHG flux monitoring systems, suitable for deployment at scale, and in areas where existing approaches are impractical or unaffordable. If ground-based observations of peat motion can be linked to measured GHG fluxes and with satellite-based monitoring tools, this approach offers the potential for a large-scale peatland monitoring tool, suitable for identifying areas of active carbon loss, targeting climate change mitigation interventions, and evaluating intervention outcomes.
Study of Four Rainstorm Design Methods in Chongqing
Authors: Liao Daiqiang , Zhang Qiang , Wang Ying , Zhu Haonan , Sun Jia 
Published: March 2021

Based on minute-by-minute precipitation data from 1961 to 2016 obtained from the National Basic Weather Station of Shapingba, Chongqing, China, the Chicago rainstorm method, the Pilgrim &amp; Cordery (P&amp;C) method, the Common-frequency method and the natural rainstorm moving regularity (NRMR) method were used to design short-duration (1–3 h) and long-duration (24 h) rainstorm hyetographs. Then, a standardization method for test samples was designed to ensure that each test sample was standardized and underwent an actual precipitation process. The designed rainstorm hyetographs and test samples were compared and analyzed, and the results show that the hyetographs for the 1, 3, and 24-h durations obtained with the NRMR method best represented the actual corresponding precipitation processes. The hyetograph for the 2-h duration obtained with the Chicago rainstorm method was best for the actual 2-h precipitation process. The design results of the Common-frequency method were generally good, but not outstanding. Finally, the P&amp;C method showed a relatively poor performance for each duration.
Changes in Air Pollution Following the COVID-19 Epidemic in Northern China: The Role of Meteorology
Authors: Xian Tian , Li Zhanqing , Wei Jing 
Published: March 2021

COVID-19 has a tremendous impact on both human life and the environment due to the unprecedented large-scale shutdown of economic activities at the beginning of 2020. While it was widely expected to see a dramatic reduction in air pollution, reality appears to be much more complex due to the joint influences of emissions and meteorology in dictating air pollution. By analyzing ample meteorological and environmental observational data, this study attempts to evaluate the contribution of an economic lockdown or at a well-below normal level across China to air pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Besides the unprecedented emission reductions that helped to improve air quality, multiple other factors came into play, such as high humidity and low wind speed that are favorable for haze formation. After separating long-term trends, seasonal signals, holiday effects, and meteorological contributions concerning climatology, we estimated that the relative contributions of human activities to changes in particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 μm and nitrogen dioxide during the epidemic were −17.13 μg/m3 and −0.03 μg/m3, respectively, with negative quantities denoting reductions to air pollution. Furthermore, comparing the changes in PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations after lockdown revealed that for short-term control measures, meteorological factors mainly affected pollutant particles.
Molecular Evolution of Human Norovirus GII.2 Clusters
Authors: Li Xingguang , Liu Haizhou , Rife Magalis Brittany , Kosakovsky Pond Sergei L. , Volz Erik M. 
Published: March 2021

BackgroundThe human norovirus GII.2 outbreak during the 2016–2017 winter season was of unprecedented scale and geographic distribution.MethodsWe analyzed 519 complete VP1 gene sequences of the human norovirus GII.2 genotype sampled during the 2016–2017 winter season, as well as prior (dating back to 1976) from 7 countries. Phylodynamic analyses of these sequences were performed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian statistical frameworks in order to estimate viral evolutionary and population dynamics associated with the outbreak.ResultsOur results revealed an increase in the genetic diversity of human norovirus GII.2 during the recent Asian outbreak and diversification was characterized by at least eight distinct clusters. Bayesian estimation of viral population dynamics revealed a highly fluctuating effective population size, increasing in frequency during the past 15 years.ConclusionDespite an increasing viral diversity, we found no evidence of an elevated evolutionary rate or significant selection pressure in human norovirus GII.2, indicating viral evolutionary adaptation was not responsible for the volatility of or spread of the virus during this time.
Vitamin A, D, and E Levels and Reference Ranges for Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Study 2017–2019
Authors: Gao Fan , Guo Fanfan , Zhang Yidan , Yuan Yufei , Chen Dunjin , Bai Guiqin 
Published: March 2021

Background: Pregnancy-specific vitamin reference ranges are currently not available for maternal vitamin management during pregnancy. This study aimed to propose pregnancy-specific vitamin reference ranges and to investigate the factors influencing vitamin levels during pregnancy.Methods: A cross-sectional study that included pregnant women from 17 cities in 4 provinces in western China was conducted from 2017 to 2019. A total of 119,286 subjects were enrolled in the study. Serum vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E levels were measured. A multivariable linear regression model and restricted cubic spline function were used to analyze the factors related to vitamin levels.Results: The reference ranges for vitamin A, D, and E levels were 0.22–0.62 mg/L, 5–43 ng/mL, and 7.4–23.5 mg/L, respectively. A linear relationship was found between vitamin E level and age (β = 0.004; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0037–0.0042; p &lt; 0.001), and a nonlinear relationship was found between vitamin D (p nonlinear = 0.033) and vitamin A levels and age (p nonlinear &lt; 0.001). Season, gestational trimester, and regions were related to the levels of the three vitamins in the multivariable models (p &lt; 0.05).Conclusions: The lower limit of vitamin A during pregnancy was the same as the reference value currently used for the general population. The reference ranges of vitamins D and E during pregnancy were lower and higher, respectively, than the currently used criteria for the general population. Vitamin A, D, and E levels differed according to age, season, gestational trimester, and region.
Can a Higher Protein/Low Glycemic Index vs. a Conventional Diet Attenuate Changes in Appetite and Gut Hormones Following Weight Loss? A 3-Year PREVIEW Sub-study
Authors: Buso Marion E.C. , Seimon Radhika V. , McClintock Sally , Muirhead Roslyn , Atkinson Fiona S. , Brodie Shannon , Dodds Jarron , Zibellini Jessica , Das Arpita , Wild-Taylor Anthony L. , Burk Jessica , Fogelholm Mikael , Raben Anne , Brand-Miller Jennie C. , Sainsbury Amanda 
Published: March 2021

Background: Previous research showed that weight-reducing diets increase appetite sensations and/or circulating ghrelin concentrations for up to 36 months, with transient or enduring perturbations in circulating concentrations of the satiety hormone peptide YY.Objective: This study assessed whether a diet that is higher in protein and low in glycemic index (GI) may attenuate these changes.Methods: 136 adults with pre-diabetes and a body mass index of ≥25 kg/m2 underwent a 2-month weight-reducing total meal replacement diet. Participants who lost ≥8% body weight were randomized to one of two 34-month weight-maintenance diets: a higher-protein and moderate-carbohydrate (CHO) diet with low GI, or a moderate-protein and higher-CHO diet with moderate GI. Both arms involved recommendations to increase physical activity. Fasting plasma concentrations of total ghrelin and total peptide YY, and appetite sensations, were measured at 0 months (pre-weight loss), at 2 months (immediately post-weight loss), and at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months.Results: There was a decrease in plasma peptide YY concentrations and an increase in ghrelin after the 2-month weight-reducing diet, and these values approached pre-weight-loss values by 6 and 24 months, respectively (P = 0.32 and P = 0.08, respectively, vs. 0 months). However, there were no differences between the two weight-maintenance diets. Subjective appetite sensations were not affected by the weight-reducing diet nor the weight-maintenance diets. While participants regained an average of ~50% of the weight they had lost by 36 months, the changes in ghrelin and peptide YY during the weight-reducing phase did not correlate with weight regain.Conclusion: A higher-protein, low-GI diet for weight maintenance does not attenuate changes in ghrelin or peptide YY compared with a moderate-protein, moderate-GI diet.Clinical Trial Registry:ClinicalTrials.gov registry ID NCT01777893 (PREVIEW) and ID NCT02030249 (Sub-study).
FAPI-04 PET/CT Using [18F]AlF Labeling Strategy: Automatic Synthesis, Quality Control, and In Vivo Assessment in Patient
Authors: Jiang Xiao , Wang Xiaoxiong , Shen Taipeng , Yao Yutang , Chen Meihua , Li Zeng , Li Xiuli , Shen Jiaqi , Kou Ying , Chen Shirong , Zhou Xing , Luo Zhifu , Cheng Zhuzhong 
Published: March 2021

68Ga labeled FAPI is the current standard for FAPI-PET, but its batch activity is limited. [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 is a promising alternative combining the advantages of a chelator-based radiolabeling method with the unique properties of fluorine-18. The objective of this study was to develop a quick automatic method for synthesis of [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 using a AllinOne synthesis system, and perform PET imaging with [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 on patients. [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 was produced, and its quality control was conducted by HPLC equipped with a radioactive detector. [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT imaging was performed in normal BALB/c mice (n = 3) and 4T1 breast cancer models (n = 3) to determine its biodistribution. Then [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT imaging were performed in an invasive ductal carcinoma patient (female, 54 years old). The synthesis time of [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 was about 25 min, and the radiochemical yield was 26.4 ± 1.5% (attenuation correction, n = 10). The radiochemical purity was above 99.0% and was above 98.0% after 6 h. The product was colorless transparent solution with pH value of 7.0–7.5, and the specific activity was 49.41 ± 3.19 GBq/μmol. PET/CT imaging in mice showed that physiological uptake of [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 was mainly in the biliary system and bladder, and [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 highly concentrated in tumor xenografts. PET/CT imaging in the patient showed that [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 obtained high tumor background ratio (TBR) value of 8.44 in segment V and VI, while TBR value was 2.55 by 18F-FDG. [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 could be synthesized with high radiochemical yield and batch production by AllinOne module and show excellent diagnosis performance in cancer patients.
Quantitative Multicomponent T2 Relaxation Showed Greater Sensitivity Than Flair Imaging to Detect Subtle Alterations at the Periphery of Lower Grade Gliomas
Authors: Bontempi Pietro , Rozzanigo Umberto , Amelio Dante , Scartoni Daniele , Amichetti Maurizio , Farace Paolo 
Published: March 2021

PurposeTo demonstrate that quantitative multicomponent T2 relaxation can be more sensitive than conventional FLAIR imaging for detecting cerebral tissue abnormalities.MethodsSix patients affected by lower-grade non-enhancing gliomas underwent T2 relaxation and FLAIR imaging before a radiation treatment by proton therapy (PT) and were examined at follow-up. The T2 decay signal obtained by a thirty-two-echo sequence was decomposed into three main components, attributing to each component a different T2 range: water trapped in the lipid bilayer membrane of myelin, intra/extracellular water and cerebrospinal fluid. The T2 quantitative map of the intra/extracellular water was compared with FLAIR images.ResultsBefore PT, in five patients a mismatch was observed between the intra/extracellular water T2 map and FLAIR images, with peri-tumoral areas of high T2 that typically extended outside the area of abnormal FLAIR hyper-intensity. Such mismatch regions evolved into two different types of patterns. The first type, observed in three patients, was a reduced extension of the abnormal regions on T2 map with respect to FLAIR images (T2 decrease pattern). The second type, observed in two patients, was the appearance of new areas of abnormal hyper-intensity on FLAIR images matching the anomalous T2 map extension (FLAIR increase pattern), that was considered as asymptomatic radiation induced damage.ConclusionOur preliminarily results suggest that quantitative T2 mapping of the intra/extracellular water component was more sensitive than conventional FLAIR imaging to subtle cerebral tissue abnormalities, deserving to be further investigated in future clinical studies.
Serum Creatinine and Serum Cystatin C are Both Relevant Renal Markers to Estimate Vancomycin Clearance in Critically Ill Neonates
Authors: Leroux Stéphanie , Biran Valérie , van den Anker John , Gotta Verena , Zhao Wei , Zhang Daolun , Jacqz-Aigrain Evelyne , Pfister Marc 
Published: March 2021

Purpose: Serum creatinine (SCr) is used as a marker of kidney function to guide dosing of renally eliminated drugs. Serum Cystatin C (S-CysC) has been suggested as a more reliable kidney marker than SCr in adults and children. Purpose of this study was to investigate S-CysC as alternative renal marker to SCr for estimating vancomycin clearance in neonates undergoing intensive care.Methods: Vancomycin pharmacokinetics (PK), SCr and S-CysC data were collected in patients undergoing vancomycin treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit of Robert Debré Hospital - Paris. A population PK analysis was performed utilizing routine therapeutic drug monitoring samples. S-CysC and SCr were compared as covariates on vancomycin clearance using stepwise covariate modeling (forward inclusion [p &lt; 0.05] and backward elimination [p &lt; 0.01]). Model performance was evaluated by graphical and statistical criteria.Results: A total of 108 vancomycin concentrations from 66 patients (postmenstrual age [PMA] of 26–46 weeks) were modeled with an allometric one-compartment model. The median (range) values for SCr and S-CysC were 41 (12–153) µmol/l and 1.43 (0.95–2.83) mg/l, respectively. Following stepwise covariate model building, SCr was retained as single marker of kidney function (after accounting for weight and PMA) in the final model. Compared to the final model based on SCr, the alternative model based on S-CysC showed very similar performance (e.g. BIC of 578.3 vs. 576.4) but included one additional covariate: impact of mechanical ventilation on vancomycin clearance, in addition to the effects of size and maturation.Conclusion: ill neonates. However, if using S-CysC for this purpose mechanical ventilation needs to be taken into account.