bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association of F11R polymorphisms and gene expression with primary Sjögren’s syndrome patients
Authors: Fang Tzu‐Jung , Li Ruei‐Nian , Lin Yuan‐Zhao , Lin Chia‐Hui , Tseng Chia‐Chun , Sung Wan‐Yu , Ou Tsan‐Teng , Wu Cheng‐Chin , Yen Jeng‐Hsien 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAimsF11R gene encodes junctional adhesion molecule‐A protein (JAM‐A), which is expressed in various types of cells and is involved in leukocyte extravasation during inflammation. Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that involves lymphocytes invasion of exocrine glands. F11R has been studied in autoimmune diseases, but any association between F11R and SS has not yet been investigated. Therefore, experiments were undertaken to examine the relationships among F11R gene polymorphism, messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and SS patients.MethodsThree hundred and twenty‐nine patients with SS, and 223 healthy controls were enrolled in their recruitment from the Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and gene polymorphisms were genotyped by TaqMan real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). F11R mRNA expression was quantitated by quantitative real‐time PCR with TaqMan Gene Expression Assay.ResultsOur study showed the genotype ‐688A/C (rs6695707) was not found in relation to SS patients. The odds ratio of ‐436A/G (rs12567886) genotype was notably associated with less susceptibility of SS in human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐DR2 negative and HLA‐DR3 negative individuals. F11R mRNA expression was lower in SS patients than in the cells of healthy controls.ConclusionThe result indicated that G allele of ‐436A/G genotype has the potential protective effect against SS disease condition. F11R mRNA was expressed significantly lower in SS patients.
Genome‐wide association study of fleece traits in Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats
Authors: Wang F. H. , Zhang L. , Gong G. , Yan X. C. , Zhang L. T. , Zhang F. T. , Liu H. F. , Lv Q. , Wang Z. Y. , Wang R. J. , Zhang Y. J. , Wang Z. X. , Liu Z. H. , He L. B. , Su R. , Zhao Y. H. , Li J. Q. 
Published: March 2021

SummaryInner Mongolia Cashmere goat is a well‐known local cashmere goat breed in China. It is famous for excellent fleece quality and a significant advantage in cashmere yield compared to other cashmere goat breeds. In this study, a genome‐wide association study was used to investigate fiber length, fiber diameter, and cashmere yield of 192 Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats using the Illumina GoatSNP52K Beadchip panel. We discovered that four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) reached genome‐wide significance levels. These SNPs were located in some genes, e.g. FGF12, SEMA3D, EVPL, and SOX5, possibly related to fleece traits in Inner Mongolia Cashmere goat. Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were enriched in several biological pathways that were involved in hair follicle development in cashmere goats. In summary, the identified significant SNPs and genes provide useful information to explore genetic mechanisms underlying the variation in fleece traits and genomic selection of Chinese cashmere goat.
Mining the 99 Lives Cat Genome Sequencing Consortium database implicates genes and variants for the Ticked locus in domestic cats (Felis catus)
Authors: Lyons L. A. , Buckley R. M. , Harvey R. J. ,   the 99 Lives Cat Genome Consortium
Published: March 2021

SummaryTabby patterns of fur coats are defining characteristics in wild and domestic felids. Historically, three autosomal alleles at one locus (Tabby): Abyssinian (Ta; a.k.a. ticked), mackerel (Tm; a.k.a. striped) and blotched (tb; a.k.a. classic, blotched) were thought to control these patterns in domestic cats and their breeds. Currently, at least three loci influence cat tabby markings, two of which are designated Tabby and Ticked. The Tabby locus is laeverin (LVRN) and affects the mackerel and blotched patterns. The unidentified gene for the Ticked locus on cat chromosome B1 was suggested to control the presence or absence of the ticked pattern (Tabby – Abyssinian (Ta; a.k.a. ticked). The cat reference genome (Cinnamon, the Abyssinian) has the ticked phenotype and the variant dataset and coat phenotypes from the 99 Lives Cat Genome Consortium (195 cats) were used to identify candidate genes and variants associated with the Ticked locus. Two strategies were used to find the Ticked allele(s), one considered Cinnamon with the reference allele or heterozygous (Strategy A) and the other considered Cinnamon as having the variant allele or heterozygous (Strategy B). For Strategy A, two variants in Dickkopf Wnt Signaling Pathway Inhibitor 4 (DKK4), a p.Cys63Tyr (B1:41621481, c.188G>A) and a less common p.Ala18Val (B1:42620835, c.53C>T) variant are suggested as two alleles influencing the Ticked phenotype. Bioinformatic and molecular modeling analysis suggests that these changes disrupt a key disulfide bond in the Dkk4 cysteine‐rich domain 1 or Dkk4 signal peptide cleavage respectively. All coding variants were excluded as Ticked alleles using Strategy B.
Impact of a physician – critical care practitioner pre‐hospital service in Wales on trauma survival: a retrospective analysis of linked registry data
Authors: Lyons J. , Gabbe B. J. , Rawlinson D. , Lockey D. , Fry R. J. , Akbari A. , Lyons R. A. 
Published: March 2021

SummaryThe Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service for Wales launched in 2015. This service delivers senior pre‐hospital doctors and advanced critical care practitioners to the scene of time‐critical life‐ and limb‐threatening incidents to provide advanced decision‐making and pre‐hospital clinical care. The impact of the service on 30‐day mortality was evaluated retrospectively using a data linkage system. The study included patients who sustained moderate‐to‐severe blunt traumatic injuries (injury severity score ≥ 9) between 27 April 2015 and 30 November 2018. The association between pre‐hospital management by the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service and 30‐day mortality was assessed using multivariable logistic regression. In total, data from 4035 patients were analysed, of which 412 (10%) were treated by the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service. A greater proportion of patients treated by the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service had an injury severity score ≥ 16 and Glasgow coma scale ≤ 12 (288 (70%) vs. 1435 (40%) and 126 (31%) vs. 325 (9%), respectively). The unadjusted 30‐day mortality rate was 11.7% for patients managed by the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service compared with 9.6% for patients managed by standard pre‐hospital care services. However, after adjustment for differences in case‐mix, the 30‐day mortality rate for patients treated by the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service was 37% lower (adjusted odds ratio 0.63 (95%CI 0.41–0.97); p = 0.037). The introduction of an emergency medical retrieval service was associated with a reduction in 30‐day mortality for patients with blunt traumatic injury.
Safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with muscle‐invasive bladder cancer and malignant ureteric obstruction
Authors: Strother Marshall C. , Kutikov Alexander , Epstein Matthew , Bochner Emily , Deng Mengying , Handorf Elizabeth , Lewis Bianca , Ghatalia Pooja , Greenberg Richard E. , Chen David , Viterbo Rosalia , Anari Fern , Smaldone Marc C. , Zibelman Matthew R. , Uzzo Robert G. , Plimack Elizabeth R. , Geynisman Daniel M. 
Published: March 2021

ObjectivesTo determine whether patients with carcinoma invading bladder muscle (MIBC) and ureteric obstruction can safely receive cisplatin‐based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (C‐NAC), and to determine whether such patients require relief of obstruction with a ureteric stent or percutaneous nephrostomy prior to beginning C‐NAC.Patients and MethodsWe performed a single‐institution retrospective analysis of MIBC patients receiving C‐NAC and falling into three groups: no ureteric obstruction (NO); relieved ureteric obstruction (RO); and unrelieved ureteric obstruction (URO). To address whether patients with obstruction can safely receive C‐NAC, we compared patients with NO to those with RO, with the primary outcome of premature chemotherapy discontinuation. To investigate whether patients with obstruction should have the obstruction relieved prior to NAC, we compared RO to URO patients using a primary composite outcome of grade ≥ 3 adverse events, premature chemotherapy discontinuation, dose reduction, or dose interruption. The primary outcomes were compared using multivariable logistic regression. Sensitivity analyses were performed for the RO vs URO comparison, in which patients with only mild degrees of obstruction were excluded from the URO group.ResultsA total of 193 patients with NO, 49 with RO, and 35 with URO were analysed. There were no statistically significant differences between those with NO and those with RO in chemotherapy discontinuation (15% vs 22%; P = 0.3) or any secondary outcome. There was no statistically significant difference between those with RO and URO in the primary composite outcome (51% vs 53%; P = 1) or any secondary outcome.ConclusionPatients with ureteric obstruction can safely receive C‐NAC. Relief of obstruction was not associated with increased safety of C‐NAC delivery.
The Method of Local Restriction: in search of potential great ape culture‐dependent forms
Authors: Motes‐Rodrigo Alba , Tennie Claudio 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACTHumans possess a perhaps unique type of culture among primates called cumulative culture. In this type of culture, behavioural forms cumulate changes over time, which increases their complexity and/or efficiency, eventually making these forms culture‐dependent. As changes cumulate, culture‐dependent forms become causally opaque, preventing the overall behavioural form from being acquired by individuals on their own; in other words, culture‐dependent forms must be copied between individuals and across generations. Despite the importance of cumulative culture for understanding the evolutionary history of our species, how and when cumulative culture evolved is still debated. One of the challenges faced when addressing these questions is how to identify culture‐dependent forms that result from cumulative cultural evolution. Here we propose a novel method to identify the most likely cases of culture‐dependent forms. The ‘Method of Local Restriction’ is based on the premise that as culture‐dependent forms are repeatedly transmitted via copying, these forms will unavoidably cumulate population‐specific changes (due to copying error) and therefore must be expected to become locally restricted over time. When we applied this method to our closest living relatives, the great apes, we found that most known ape behavioural forms are not locally restricted (across domains and species) and thus are unlikely to be acquired via copying. Nevertheless, we found 25 locally restricted forms across species and domains, three of which appear to be locally unique (having been observed in a single population of a single species). Locally unique forms represent the best current candidates for culture‐dependent forms in non‐human great apes. Besides these rare exceptions, our results show that overall, ape cultures do not rely heavily on copying, as most ape behaviours appear across sites and/or species, rendering them unlikely to be culture‐dependent forms resulting from cumulative cultural evolution. Yet, the locally restricted forms (and especially the three locally unique forms) identified by our method should be tested further for their potential reliance on copying social learning mechanisms (and in turn, for their potential culture‐dependence). Future studies could use the Method of Local Restriction to investigate the existence of culture‐dependent forms in other animal species and in the hominin archaeological record to estimate how widespread copying is in the animal kingdom and to postulate a timeline for the emergence of copying in our lineage.
Characterizing children hospitalized for suicide‐related thoughts and behaviors
Authors: Marraccini Marisa E. , Drapeau Christopher W. , Stein Rachel , Pittleman Cari , Toole Emily N. , Kolstad Molly , Tow Amanda C. , Suldo Shannon M. 
Published: March 2021

BackgroundDespite alarming increases in suicide deaths among preadolescent children, knowledge of the precipitants of suicide risk and the characteristics of children who seek treatment for suicidality is limited. This study’s purpose is to describe children (ages 6–12) hospitalized for suicide‐related concerns and compare demographic and diagnostic differences between children and adolescent (ages 13–18) patients.MethodsThis retrospective study analyzed medical records of 502 children and adolescents ages 6–18 admitted for suicide‐related risk to one psychiatric inpatient hospital in southeastern United States between 2015 and 2018.ResultsPatients were predominantly White (63.5%), female (64.5%), and non‐Hispanic/Latino (85.1%). We conducted descriptive analyses and a series of logistic regressions comparing children and adolescents with data extracted from discharge summaries, (i.e. primary reasons for admission, environmental stressors, and diagnostic categories). Common environmental stressors included school (63.2%) and family (60.7%), and the most common diagnosis included depressive disorders. Compared to adolescents, children were more likely to be Black (OR = 1.99), male (OR = 1.94), and receive neurodevelopmental disorder (aOR = 3.0) or trauma and stress‐related disorder (aOR = 2.6) diagnoses, but less likely to be diagnosed with a depressive disorder (aOR = 0.4). Across both age‐groups, Black patients were more likely to be diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders and less likely to receive internalizing disorder diagnoses.ConclusionsCharacteristics of children hospitalized for suicide‐related risk are relatively similar to characteristics of children dying by suicide. Compared to adolescents, hospitalized children are more likely to be Black, male, and have a neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosis. Proactively identifying and providing strengths‐based supports for Black boys and families appear critical for suicide prevention in children.
Does affirmative action undermine meritocracy? “Meritocratic inclusion” of the marginalized in Nepal’s bureaucracy
Authors: Sunam Ramesh , Pariyar Bishnu , Shrestha Krishna K 
Published: March 2021

AbstractMotivationAffirmative action policies have attracted significant academic and policy interest worldwide. One of the key criticisms of such policies is that they undermine meritocratic principles, but there is little evidence and analysis on how such policies are being implemented and shape meritocracy, particularly in low‐ and middle‐income countries.PurposeDrawing on a case study of an affirmative action policy designed for the inclusion of members from marginalized groups in Nepal’s civil service, the article critically examines whether this erodes meritocracy and productivity.Methods and approachThe article draws on empirical insights and data collected through a critical policy analysis, complemented by surveys and interviews with civil servants benefitted from affirmative action and other civil servants, including policy analysts and public intellectuals.FindingsOur findings challenge a narrative that affirmative action in the form of reservations or quotas erodes meritocracy and reduces the quality of public services. Rather, we argue that an affirmative action policy can enrich meritocracy by addressing its inherent deficits, including its blindness to horizontal inequalities and forms of social exclusion, which tend to sustain the monopolization of bureaucracy by a dominant group in an already unequal society.Policy implicationsReconceptualizing an affirmative action policy applied in Nepal’s civil service as a tool of “meritocratic inclusion,” we argue that it rewards competence and promotes workforce diversity and social justice. Our evidence suggests that affirmative action, when it is carefully designed, can be an effective policy tool both to enhance representative bureaucracy and enrich meritocracy.
Photographic assessment of simulated dental luxation injuries
Authors: Joos Marc , Joos Roland , Berli Constantin , Filippi Andreas 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackground/AimDental photographs are a valid means for documentation of dental luxation injuries. The aim of the study was to evaluate the utility of two photographs from different perspectives in the assessment of dental luxation injuries compared to one perspective only.Materials and MethodsPhotographs of simulated dental luxation injuries were shown to experts in dental traumatology and other dentists who had to estimate the displacement in the vertical and horizontal dimensions. The overall error of estimation as a result of both vertical displacement and horizontal displacement was calculated and statistically analyzed.ResultsThe mean overall error of estimation was 0.43 mm and 0.75 mm for experts and dentists, respectively. If two (frontal and occlusal) perspectives were available, the overall error was lower than when only one perspective was available (p < .001). Experts had a lower overall error compared to dentists (p < .015).ConclusionTwo photographs from two perspectives allowed better interpretation of dental luxation injuries.
The First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders ‐ Upscaled study: Clinical outcomes
Authors: Austin Amelia , Flynn Michaela , Shearer James , Long Mike , Allen Karina , Mountford Victoria A. , Glennon Danielle , Grant Nina , Brown Amy , Franklin‐Smith Mary , Schelhase Monique , Jones William Rhys , Brady Gabrielle , Nunes Nicole , Connan Frances , Mahony Kate , Serpell Lucy , Schmidt Ulrike 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundFirst Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders (FREED) is a service model and care pathway for emerging adults aged 16 to 25‐years with a recent onset eating disorder (ED) of <3 years. A previous single‐site study suggests that FREED significantly improves clinical outcomes compared to treatment‐as‐usual (TAU). The present study (FREED‐Up) assessed the scalability of FREED. A multi‐centre quasi‐experimental pre‐post design was used, comparing patient outcomes before and after implementation of FREED in participating services.MethodsFREED patients (n = 278) were consecutive, prospectively ascertained referrals to four specialist ED services in England, assessed at four time points over 12 months on ED symptoms, mood, service utilization and cost. FREED patients were compared to a TAU cohort (n = 224) of similar patients, identified retrospectively from electronic patient records in participating services. All were emerging adults aged 16–25 experiencing a first episode ED of <3 years duration.ResultsOverall, FREED patients made significant and rapid clinical improvements over time. 53.2% of FREED patients with anorexia nervosa reached a healthy weight at the 12‐month timepoint, compared to only 17.9% of TAU patients (X2 [1, N = 107] = 10.46, p < .001). Significantly fewer FREED patients required intensive (i.e., in‐patient or day‐patient) treatment (6.6%) compared to TAU patients (12.4%) across the follow‐up period (X2 [1, N = 40] = 4.36, p = .037). This contributed to a trend in cost savings in FREED compared to TAU (−£4472, p = .06, CI −£9168, £233).DiscussionFREED is robust and scalable and is associated with substantial improvements in clinical outcomes, reduction in inpatient or day‐patient admissions, and cost‐savings.
Increased inosine levels in drug‐free individuals with at‐risk mental state: A serum metabolomics study
Authors: Uekusa Shusuke , Onozato Mayu , Umino Maho , Sakamoto Tatsuya , Ichiba Hideaki , Tsujino Naohisa , Funatogawa Tomoyuki , Tagata Hiromi , Nemoto Takahiro , Mizuno Masafumi , Fukushima Takeshi 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAimAt‐risk mental state (ARMS) has been recently attracting attention with respect to the improvement of the management and outcome of psychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia. Since only a few studies have reported on biological alterations in ARMS, serum metabolomics was carried out in ARMS subjects and healthy controls using liquid chromatography with high‐resolution mass spectrometry.MethodsSerum samples were collected from ARMS subjects (n = 24; male: 12; female 12) and age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls (n = 23 male: 11, female: 12). After serum pre‐treatment, liquid chromatography with high‐resolution mass spectrometry was performed. Multivariate analyses, such as orthogonal partial least‐squares discriminant and volcano plot analyses, were performed.ResultsSerum inosine, lactate, taurine, 2,3‐dihydroxypropanoate and glutamate levels differed between the two groups. A significant increase in inosine levels was detected in the positive‐ and negative‐ion modes; however, significant differences were not observed in the levels of other purine‐related metabolites (hypoxanthine, xanthine and urate) between the two groups.ConclusionIncreased inosine levels may serve as biological markers for ARMS, in addition to alterations in the levels of lactate and certain amino acids.
Effects of vitamin K2 combined with methotrexate against mitogen‐activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy subjects and rheumatoid arthritis patients
Authors: Xu Wencheng , Wu Hongguang , Tahara Koichiro , Chen Shuhe , Wang Xiaoqin , Tanaka Sachiko , Sugiyama Kentaro , Sawada Tetsuji , Hirano Toshihiko 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundMethotrexate (MTX) is used as anchor drug for patients with early and established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Vitamin K2 administration was also reported to be associated with decreased disease activity in RA.ObjectivesImmunosuppressive pharmacodynamics of vitamin K2 combined with MTX was investigated.MethodsMitogen‐activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used to evaluate immunosuppressive pharmacodynamics of drugs in vitro.ResultsVitamin K2 alone dose‐dependently suppressed T cell mitogen‐activated proliferation of PBMCs of both healthy subjects and RA patients. 446.5 and 2232.5 ng/mL vitamin K2 significantly decreased the IC50 values of MTX on the proliferation of PBMCs of RA patients, with little influences on the pharmacodynamics of MTX in the healthy PBMCs. 4465 ng/mL vitamin K2 potentiated the pharmacodynamics of MTX in both RA patients and healthy PBMCs. The additional effects of vitamin K2 to potentiate the suppressive effects of MTX seemed not to be related to the regulation of CD4+CD25+ T cells or CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells. MTX alone at 100 ng/mL significantly decreased the percentage of CD4+ T cells in PBMCs of healthy subjects (p < 0.001) with a slight influence in that of RA patients (not significant) and the combination did not show synergistic inhibitory effect. Vitamin K2 alone tended to suppress the secretion of IL‐17, IFN‐γ, and TNF‐α from the activated PBMCs of RA patients with smaller influences on the cytokine productions from healthy PBMCs. These additional effects of vitamin K2 were also observed in combination with MTX.ConclusionThe above information may partially elucidate the potentiation effects of vitamin K2 on the immunosuppressive efficacy of MTX.