bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Procedural Pain during Endometrial Biopsy
Authors: Jeong Hye Gyeong , Kim Jooyoung , Choo Sung il , Kim Kidong , Lee Banghyun , Ahn Soyeon 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackground/ObjectiveEndometrial (EM) biopsy is a commonly-performed gynecological procedure that is associated with side effects such as discomfort and pain. The aim of the current study was to predict procedural pain during EM biopsy.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 100 women who underwent EM biopsy between July 2014 and November 2015 in an outpatient clinic of our hospital. Eighty-one patients were included in the final analysis after excluding those who lacked pain data and those who were sedated with midazolam. We examined the association of patient and clinician characteristics with procedural pain, and created a prediction model using characteristics via multiple linear regression analysis.ResultsEighty-one women underwent EM biopsy (dilatation and curettage, EM sampling). In univariable analysis, history of EM biopsy, endometrial thickness (EMT) and training year of operator (TY) were significantly associated with procedural pain. The initial multivariable model was fitted with significant predictors in a univariable analysis. The p-value of EMT and TY was below the pre-defined threshold (0.2) and the final pain prediction model included EMT and TY. Furthermore, pain during the procedure was calculated by the following equation: pain score (numeric rating scale) = 7.364 + (−0.872) * EM thickness (cm) + (−1.033)*TY.ConclusionBoth endometrial thickness and training year of operator were useful predictors of the severity of EM biopsy-related pain.
COVID-19 Vaccination Prioritization Based on Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Number-Needed-to-Vaccinate to Prevent Death
Authors: Leong Darryl P. , Banerjee Amitava , Yusuf Salim 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACTThe supply limitations of COVID-19 vaccines have led to the need to prioritize vaccine distribution. Obesity, diabetes and hypertension have been associated with an increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection. Approximately half as many individuals with a cardiovascular risk factor need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to prevent related death as compared with individuals without a risk factor. Our analysis suggests that prioritizing adults with these cardiovascular risk factors for vaccination is likely to be an efficient way to reduce population COVID-19 mortality.
Latino children’s obesity risk varies by place of birth: Findings from New York City public school youth, 2006-2017
Authors: Flórez Karen R. , Day Sophia E. , Huang Terry T.-K. , Konty Kevin J. , D’Agostino Emily M. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIntroductionResearch showing Place of Birth (POB) predicts excess weight gain and obesity risk among Latino adults has not prompted similar research in Latino children, although childhood is a critical period for preventing obesity.MethodsLongitudinal cohort observational study on public school children self-identified by parent/guardian as Latino in grades K-12 for school years 2006-07 through 2016-17 with measured weight and height (n= 570,172students; 3,10,3642observations). POB reported by parent/guardian was categorized as continental US (not NYC) (n=295,693), NYC (n=166,361), South America (n=19,452), Central America (n=10,241), Dominican Republic (n=57,0880), Puerto Rico (n=9,687) and Mexico (n=9,647). Age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles were estimated based on established growth charts. Data were analyzed in 2020.ResultsPrevalence of obesity was highest among US (non-NYC)-born girls (21%) and boys (27%), followed by NYC-born girls (19%) and boys (25%). Among girls, South Americans (9%) had the lowest prevalence of all levels of obesity, while Puerto Ricans (19%) and Dominicans (15%) had the highest prevalence. Among boys, South Americans also had the lowest prevalence of all levels of obesity (15%), while Puerto Ricans (22%) and Mexicans (21%) had the highest. In adjusted models, obesity risk was highest in US (non-NYC)-born children, followed by children born in NYC (p<0.001). Immigrant Latino children exhibited an advantage, particularly Dominicans, South Americans and Puerto Ricans, and even after controlling for individual and neighborhood sociodemographic features including linguistic isolation and poverty.ConclusionsThe heterogeneity of obesity risk among Latino children highlights the importance of POB.
Interoception of breathing and its relationship with anxiety
Authors: Harrison Olivia K. , Köchli Laura , Marino Stephanie , Luechinger Roger , Hennel Franciszek , Brand Katja , Hess Alexander J. , Frässle Stefan , Iglesias Sandra , Vinckier Fabien , Petzschner Frederike , Harrison Samuel J. , Stephan Klaas E. 
Published: March 2021

SummaryInteroception, the perception of internal bodily states, is thought to be inextricably linked to affective qualities such as anxiety. While interoception spans sensory to metacognitive processing, it is not clear whether anxiety is differentially related to these processing levels. Here we investigated this question in the domain of breathing, using computational modelling and high-field (7 Tesla) fMRI to assess brain activity relating to dynamic changes in inspiratory resistance of varying predictability. Notably, the anterior insula was associated with both breathing-related prediction certainty and prediction errors, suggesting an important role in representing and updating models of the body. Individuals with low vs. moderate anxiety traits showed differential anterior insula activity for prediction certainty. Multimodal analyses of data from fMRI, computational assessments of breathing-related metacognition, and questionnaires demonstrated that anxiety-interoception links span all levels from perceptual sensitivity to metacognition, with strong effects seen at higher levels of interoceptive processes.
Prenatal smoking, alcohol and caffeine exposure and maternal reported ADHD symptoms in childhood: triangulation of evidence using negative control and polygenic risk score analyses
Authors: Haan Elis , Sallis Hannah M. , Zuccolo Luisa , Labrecque Jeremy , Ystrom Eivind , Reichborn-Kjennerud Ted , Andreassen Ole , Havdahl Alexandra , Munafò Marcus R. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackground and aimsStudies have indicated that maternal prenatal substance use may be associated with offspring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) via intrauterine effects. We measured associations between prenatal smoking, alcohol and caffeine consumption with childhood ADHD symptoms accounting for shared familial factors.DesignFirst, we used a negative control design comparing maternal and paternal substance use. Three models were used for negative control analyses: unadjusted (without confounders), adjusted (including confounders) and mutually adjusted (including confounders and partner’s substance use). The results were meta-analysed across the cohorts. Second, we used polygenic risk scores (PRS) as proxies for exposures. Maternal PRS for smoking, alcohol and coffee consumption were regressed against ADHD symptoms. We triangulated the results across the two approaches to infer causality. Setting: We used data from three longitudinal pregnancy cohorts: Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in the UK, Generation R study (GenR) in the Netherlands and Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort study (MoBa) in Norway.ParticipantsPhenotype data available for children was: NALSPAC=5,455-7,751; NGENR=1,537-3,119; NMOBA=28,053-42,206. Genotype data available for mothers was: NALSPAC=7,074; NMOBA=14,583. Measurements: A measure of offspring ADHD symptoms at age 7-8 years was derived by dichotomising scores from questionnaires and parental self-reported prenatal substance use was measured at the 2nd pregnancy trimester.FindingsThe pooled estimate for maternal prenatal substance use showed an association with total ADHD symptoms (odds ratio (OR)SMOKING=1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-1.23; ORALCOHOL=1.27, 95%CI 1.08-1.49; ORCAFFEINE=1.05, 95%CI 1.00-1.11), while not for fathers (ORSMOKING=1.03, 95%CI 0.95-1.13; ORALCOHOL=0.83, 95%CI 0.47-1.48; ORCAFFEINE=1.02, 95%CI 0.97-1.07). However, maternal associations did not persist in sensitivity analyses (substance use before pregnancy, adjustment for maternal ADHD symptoms in MoBa). The PRS analyses were inconclusive for an association in ALSPAC or MoBa.ConclusionsThere appears to be no causal intrauterine effect of maternal prenatal substance use on offspring attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms.
Geographically-targeted COVID-19 vaccination is more equitable than age-based thresholds alone
Authors: Wrigley-Field Elizabeth , Kiang Mathew V , Riley Alicia R , Barbieri Magali , Chen Yea-Hung , Duchowny Kate A , Matthay Ellicott C , Van Riper David , Jegathesan Kirrthana , Bibbins-Domingo Kirsten , Leider Jonathon P 
Published: March 2021

AbstractCOVID-19 mortality increases dramatically with age and is also substantially higher among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) populations in the United States. These two facts introduce tradeoffs because BIPOC populations are younger than white populations. In analyses of California and Minnesota--demographically divergent states--we show that COVID vaccination schedules based solely on age benefit the older white populations at the expense of younger BIPOC populations with higher risk of death from COVID-19. We find that strategies that prioritize high-risk geographic areas for vaccination at all ages better target mortality risk than age-based strategies alone, although they do not always perform as well as direct prioritization of high-risk racial/ethnic groups.One-sentence summaryAge-based COVID-19 vaccination prioritizes white people above higher-risk others; geographic prioritization improves equity.
Using proper mean generation intervals in modelling of COVID-19
Authors: Tang Xiujuan , Musa Salihu S. , Zhao Shi , He Daihai 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered (SEIR) epidemic models, with the exponentially distributed duration of exposed/infectious statuses, the mean generation interval (GI, time lag between infections of a primary case and its secondary case) equals the mean latent period (LP) plus the mean infectious period (IP). It was widely reported that the GI for COVID-19 is as short as 5 days. However, many works in top journals used longer LP or IP with the sum (i.e., GI), e.g., > 7 days. This discrepancy will lead to overestimated basic reproductive number, and exaggerated expectation of infectious attack rate and control efficacy, since all these quantities are functions of basic reproductive number. We argue that it is important to use suitable epidemiological parameter values.
Understanding the effectiveness of government interventions in Europe’s second wave of COVID-19
Authors: Sharma Mrinank , Mindermann Sören , Rogers-Smith Charlie , Leech Gavin , Snodin Benedict , Ahuja Janvi , Sandbrink Jonas B. , Monrad Joshua Teperowski , Altman George , Dhaliwal Gurpreet , Finnveden Lukas , Norman Alexander John , Oehm Sebastian B. , Sandkühler Julia Fabienne , Mellan Thomas , Kulveit Jan , Chindelevitch Leonid , Flaxman Seth , Gal Yarin , Mishra Swapnil , Brauner Jan Markus , Bhatt Samir 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAs European governments face resurging waves of COVID-19, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) continue to be the primary tool for infection control. However, updated estimates of their relative effectiveness have been absent for Europe’s second wave, largely due to a lack of collated data that considers the increased subnational variation and diversity of NPIs. We collect the largest dataset of NPI implementation dates in Europe, spanning 114 subnational areas in 7 countries, with a systematic categorisation of interventions tailored to the second wave. Using a hierarchical Bayesian transmission model, we estimate the effectiveness of 17 NPIs from local case and death data. We manually validate the data, address limitations in modelling from previous studies, and extensively test the robustness of our estimates. The combined effect of all NPIs was smaller relative to estimates from the first half of 2020, indicating the strong influence of safety measures and individual protective behaviours--such as distancing--that persisted after the first wave. Closing specific businesses was highly effective. Gathering restrictions were highly effective but only for the strictest limits. We find smaller effects for closing educational institutions compared to the first wave, suggesting that safer operation of schools was possible with a set of stringent safety measures including testing and tracing, preventing mixing, and smaller classes. These results underscore that effectiveness estimates from the early stage of an epidemic are measured relative to pre-pandemic behaviour. Updated estimates are required to inform policy in an ongoing pandemic.
Estimation of the Reproduction Number for COVID-19 Based on Latest Vaccination Results and the Timing for Herd-Immunity: Prospect for 2021
Authors: Zhu Steven Suan , Iboi Enahoro 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThis study examined four countries Israel, United States, United Kingdom, and Serbia and present their possible vaccination trajectories into 2021. We found that populations in all the four countries are relaxing and taking the advantage of the benefit of an increasingly immunized community hence, experiencing a rising phase of ℛ c(t). The United States is of particular concern, due to its fast rising ℛc(t) in comparison to other countries, potentially generating another wave of infection. Due to aggressive vaccination program, continued implementation of restrictive measures, or both, in all countries we analyzed, present a cautiously optimistic outlook at controlling the pandemic toward the latter part of 2021. We also found that despite a significant fraction of the population in selected countries being immunized, no countries other than Israel has its ℛc(t) reached its intrinsic ℛ0 value. Based on our proposed methodology for deriving ℛ0, our prediction shows that Israel’s indigenous COVID-19 daily ℛ0 is approximately 2.2 based on its latest data.
Low grade inflammation in the epileptic hippocampus contrasts with explosive inflammation occurring in the acute phase followingstatus epilepticusin rats: translation to patients with epilepsy
Authors: Gasmi Nadia , Navarro Fabrice P. , Ogier Michaël , Belmeguenaï Amor , Lieutaud Thomas , Georges Béatrice , Bodennec Jacques , Guénot Marc , Streichenberger Nathalie , Ryvlin Philippe , Rheims Sylvain , Bezin Laurent 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACTThere is still a lack of robust data, acquired identically and reliably from tissues either surgically resected from patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) or collected in animal models, to answer the question of whether the degree of inflammation of the hippocampus differs between mTLE patients, and between epilepsy and epileptogenesis. Here, using highly calibrated RTqPCR, we show that neuroinflammatory marker expression was highly variable in the hippocampus and the amygdala of mTLE patients. This variability was not associated with gender, age, duration of epilepsy, seizure frequency, and anti-seizure drug treatments. In addition, it did not correlate between the two structures and was reduced when the inflammatory status was averaged between the two structures. We also show that brain tissue not frozen within minutes after resection had significantly decreased housekeeping gene transcript levels, precluding the possibility of using post-mortem tissues to assess physiological baseline transcript levels in the hippocampus. We thus used rat models of mTLE, induced by status epilepticus (SE), that have the advantage of providing access to physiological baseline values. They indisputably indicated that inflammation measured during the chronic phase of epilepsy was much lower than the explosive inflammation occurring after SE, and was only detected when epilepsy was associated with massive neurodegeneration and gliosis. Comparison between the inter-individual variability measured in patients and that established in all epileptic and control rats suggests that some mTLE patients may have very low inflammation in the hippocampus, close to control values. However, the observation of elevated inflammation in the amygdala of some patients indicates that inflammation should be studied not only at the epileptic hippocampus, but also in the associated brain structures in order to have a more integrated view of the degree of inflammation present in brain networks involved in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.
Cytostatic hypothermia and its impact on glioblastoma and survival
Authors: Enam Syed Faaiz , Kilic Cem Y. , Huang Jianxi , Kang Brian J. , Chen Reed , Tribble Connor S. , Ilich Ekaterina , Betancur Martha I. , Blocker Stephanie J. , Owen Steven J. , Buckley Anne F. , Lyon Johnathan G. , Bellamkonda Ravi V. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractNovel therapeutic approaches are needed for patients with glioblastoma (GBM) who otherwise have limited options. Here we studied and deployed non-freezing ‘cytostatic’ hypothermia to stunt GBM growth. This contrasts with ablative, cryogenic hypothermia: a double-edged sword against tumors infiltrating otherwise healthy tissue. We investigated three grades of hypothermiain vitroand identified a cytostatic window of 20–25°C. For some glioma lines, 18 h/d of cytostatic hypothermia was sufficient to halt divisionin vitro. Cytostatic hypothermia induced cell cycle arrest, reduced metabolite production and consumption, and reduced inflammatory cytokine synthesis. Next, we fabricated an experimental device to test local cytostatic hypothermiain vivoin two rodent models of GBM: utilizing the rat F98 and the human U-87 MG lines. Hypothermia more than doubled the median survival of F98 bearing rats from 3.9 weeks to 9.7 weeks and two rats survived through 12 weeks. All U-87 MG bearing rats that successfully received cytostatic hypothermia survived their study period. Thus, this approach lengthened survival without chemical interventions. Unlike targeted therapeutics that are successful in preclinical models but fail in clinical trials, cytostatic hypothermia affects multiple cellular processes simultaneously. This, alongside reduced cellular division, suggests that opportunities for tumor evolution are reduced and the likelihood of translation to larger species may be more likely. In addition, based on our work, designs, and the literature, engineering a patient-centric device is tangible. Taken together, cytostatic hypothermia could be a novel approach to cancer therapy and eventually serve a valuable role to patients with GBM.One Sentence SummaryHypothermia influences multiple cellular pathways, can be a safe and effective approach to halt glioblastoma growth, and holds translational promise.
Localized phosphorylation of RNA Polymerase II by G1 cyclin-Cdk promotes cell cycle entry
Authors: Kõivomägi Mardo , Swaffer Matthew P. , Turner Jonathan J. , Marinov Georgi , Skotheim Jan M. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe cell cycle is thought to be initiated by cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdk) inactivating transcriptional inhibitors of cell cycle gene-expression(1, 2). In budding yeast, the G1 cyclin Cln3-Cdk1 complex is thought to directly phosphorylate Whi5, thereby releasing the transcription factor SBF and committing cells to division(3-7). Here, we report that Cln3-Cdk1 does not phosphorylate Whi5, but instead phosphorylates the RNA Polymerase II subunit Rpb1’sC-terminaldomain (CTD) on S5of its heptapeptide repeats. Cln3-Cdk1 binds SBF-regulated promoters(8)and Cln3’s function can be performed by the canonical S5kinase(9)Ccl1-Kin28 when synthetically recruited to SBF. Thus, Cln3-Cdk1 triggers cell division by phosphorylating Rpb1 at SBF-regulated promoters to activate transcription. Our findings blur the distinction between cell cycle and transcriptional Cdks to highlight the ancient relationship between these processes.
Invasive dedifferentiated melanoma cells inhibit JAK1-STAT3-driven actomyosin contractility of human fibroblastic reticular cells of the lymph node
Authors: Rovera Christopher , Berestjuk Ilona , Lecacheur Margaux , Diazzi Serena , Mallavialle Aude , Albrengues Jean , Gaggioli Cédric , Girard Christophe , Passeron Thierry , Deckert Marcel , Tartare-Deckert Sophie , Prod’homme Virginie 
Published: March 2021

AbstractFibroblastic reticular cells (FRC) are immunologically specialized fibroblasts controlling the size and microarchitecture of the lymph node (LN), partly through their contractile properties. Swelling is a hallmark of tumor-draining LN in lymphophilic cancers such as cutaneous melanoma, a very aggressive and heterogeneous tumor with high risk of early metastasis. Melanoma cells can dynamically switch between melanocytic proliferative and dedifferentiated mesenchymal-like invasive phenotypes, which are characterized by distinct transcriptional signatures. Melanoma secreted cues, such as extracellular vesicles, growth factors or proinflammatory cytokines, promote LN stroma remodeling and metastatic spreading. But how FRC integrate these pro-metastatic signals and modulate their contractile functions remains poorly characterized. Here, we show that factors secreted by dedifferentiated melanoma cells, but not by melanocytic cells, strongly inhibit FRC actomyosin-dependent contractile forces by decreasing the activity of the RHOA-ROCK pathway and the mechano-responsive transcriptional co-activator YAP, leading to a decrease in F-actin stress fibers and cell elongation. Transcriptional profiling and biochemical analyses indicate that FRC actomyosin cytoskeleton relaxation is driven by inhibition of JAK1 and its downstream transcription factor STAT3, and is associated with increased FRC proliferation and activation. Interestingly, dedifferentiated melanoma cells reduce FRC contractilityin vitroindependently of extracellular vesicle secretion. These data show that FRC are specifically modulated by proteins secreted by invasive dedifferentiated melanoma cells and suggest that melanoma-derived cues could modulate the biomechanical properties of distant LN before metastatic invasion. They also highlight that JAK1-STAT3 and YAP signaling pathways contribute to the maintenance of the spontaneous contractility of resting human FRC.
Somatic junctions connect microglia and developing neurons
Authors: Cserép Csaba , Schwarcz Anett D. , Pósfai Balázs , László Zsófia I. , Kellermayer Anna , Nyerges Miklós , Lele Zsolt , Katona István , Dénes Ádám 
Published: March 2021

SummaryMicroglia are the resident immune cells of the brain with multiple homeostatic and regulatory roles. Emerging evidence also highlights the fundamental transformative role of microglia in brain development. While tightly controlled, bi-directional communication between microglia and neuronal progenitors or immature neurons has been postulated, the main sites of interaction and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. By using correlated light and electron microscopy together with super-resolution imaging, here we provide evidence that microglial processes form specialized nanoscale contacts with the cell bodies of developing and immature neurons throughout embryonic, early postnatal and adult neurogenesis. These early developmental contacts are highly reminiscent to somatic purinergic junctions that are instrumental for microglia-neuron communication in the adult brain. We propose that early developmental formation of somatic purinergic junctions represents an ideal interface for microglia to monitor the status of developing neurons and to direct prenatal, early postnatal and adult neurogenesis.