bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sulfamethoxazole and Enrofloxacin Antibiotics Affect Primary Productivity of Phytoplankton in Fishery Environment
Authors: Shan Xiangbao , Shi Yulu , Fang Longxiang , Gui Yuan , Xing Luchang , Qiu Liping , Hu Gengdong , Chen Jiazhang 
Published: September 2021

The antibiotics sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) and enrofloxacin (ENF) are commonly used in aquaculture in China, but their effects on the primary productivity of phytoplankton are unclear. On the basis of the fishery drug use standards (SMZ, 100 mg kg−1 d−1; ENF, 15 mg kg−1 d−1), these antibiotics were put into culture ponds to observe their effects on the phytoplankton community and primary productivity. The results showed that the changes in phytoplankton species at SMZ and ENF sites were different. At the ENF sites, Bacillariophyta species increased from 7 to 9, euglenophyta from 8 to 12 and cyanophyta from 11 to 9. Chlorophyta species at the SMZ sites increased from 10 to 15 and euglenophyta from 7 to 4. SMZ and ENF significantly promoted the number of cyanophyta (p &lt; 0.05). The promoting effect of SMZ was more obvious than that of ENF. SMZ was more effective than ENF in promoting cyanophyta. The maximum number of cyanophyta at SMZ sites was 52.39 million L−1, and the concentration of SMZ was positively correlated with the number of cyanophyta. The maximum number of cyanophyta at ENF sites was 33.13 million L−1, and the promoting effect of low concentrations was more significant than that of high concentrations. Both SMZ and ENF promoted increased phytoplankton biomass, consistent with the residual time of the antibiotics in the aquaculture environment. The greatest biomass at the SMZ sites was 129.31 g m−³, and that at the ENF sites was 117.85 g m−³. The changes in the α diversity index showed that both SMZ and ENF led to a decrease in phytoplankton biodiversity, and that SMZ was more harmful to it. There were significant differences in the Shannon–Wiener, Pielou and Simpson indexes of the SMZ sites within groups (p &lt; 0.05). The β diversity index showed that both antibiotics could change the phytoplankton habitat, but the effect of ENF on the habitat was recoverable, while that of SMZ prevented its restoration. These data will be valuable in protecting the ecological environment of fisheries and ensuring the safety and stability of fishery aquatic ecosystems.
Trio-Based Low-Pass Genome Sequencing Reveals Characteristics and Significance of Rare Copy Number Variants in Prenatal Diagnosis
Authors: Chau Matthew Hoi Kin , Qian Jicheng , Chen Zihan , Li Ying , Zheng Yu , Tse Wing Ting , Kwok Yvonne K. , Leung Tak Yeung , Dong Zirui , Choy Kwong Wai 
Published: September 2021

Background: Low-pass genome sequencing (GS) detects clinically significant copy number variants (CNVs) in prenatal diagnosis. However, detection at improved resolutions leads to an increase in the number of CNVs identified, increasing the difficulty of clinical interpretation and management.Methods: Trio-based low-pass GS was performed in 315 pregnancies undergoing invasive testing. Rare CNVs detected in the fetuses were investigated. The characteristics of rare CNVs were described and compared to curated CNVs in other studies.Results: A total of 603 rare CNVs, namely, 597 constitutional and 6 mosaic CNVs, were detected in 272 fetuses (272/315, 86.3%), providing 1.9 rare CNVs per fetus (603/315). Most CNVs were smaller than 1 Mb (562/603, 93.2%), while 1% (6/603) were mosaic. Forty-six de novo (7.6%, 46/603) CNVs were detected in 11.4% (36/315) of the cases. Eighty-four CNVs (74 fetuses, 23.5%) involved disease-causing genes of which the mode of inheritance was crucial for interpretation and assessment of recurrence risk. Overall, 31 pathogenic/likely pathogenic CNVs were detected, among which 25.8% (8/31) were small (&lt;100 kb; n = 3) or mosaic CNVs (n = 5).Conclusion: We examined the landscape of rare CNVs with parental inheritance assignment and demonstrated that they occur frequently in prenatal diagnosis. This information has clinical implications regarding genetic counseling and consideration for trio-based CNV analysis.
Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Rare Tumours: A Systematic Review
Authors: Petrelli Fausto , Consoli Francesca , Ghidini Antonio , Perego Gianluca , Luciani Andrea , Mercurio Paola , Berruti Alfredo , Grisanti Salvatore 
Published: September 2021

BackgroundRare cancers, as defined by the European Union, occur in fewer than 15 out of 100,000 people each year. The International Rare Cancer Consortium defines rare cancer incidence as less than six per 100,000 per year. There is a growing number of reports of the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in patients with rare tumours, and hence, we conducted a comprehensive review to summarise and analyse the available literature.MethodsA literature search of PubMed was performed on January 31, 2021, using the following ICI names as keywords: ipilimumab, tremelimumab, cemiplimab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab, avelumab, atezolizumab, and durvalumab. Studies on patients with rare tumours who were being treated with ICIs were included. We plotted the overall response rate against the corresponding median survival across a variety of cancer types using linear regression.ResultsFrom 1,255 publications retrieved during the primary search, 62 publications were selected (with a total of 4,620 patients). Only four were randomised trials. A minority were first-line studies, while the remaining were studies in which ICIs were delivered as salvage therapy in pretreated patients. There was a good correlation between response rate and overall survival (Spearman R2 &gt;0.9) in skin cancers, mesothelioma, and sarcomas.ConclusionsTreatment of advanced-stage rare tumours with ICI therapy was found to be associated with significant activity in some orphan diseases (e.g., Merkel cell carcinoma) and hepatocellular carcinoma. Several ongoing prospective clinical trials will expand the knowledge on the safety and efficacy of ICI therapy in patients with these rare cancers.
Timing of Transcriptomic Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Responses of Sheep to Fasciola hepatica Infection Differs From Those of Cattle, Reflecting Different Disease Phenotypes
Authors: Niedziela Dagmara A. , Naranjo-Lucena Amalia , Molina-Hernández Verónica , Browne John A. , Martínez-Moreno Álvaro , Pérez José , MacHugh David E. , Mulcahy Grace 
Published: September 2021

Infection with the zoonotic trematode Fasciola hepatica, common in many regions with a temperate climate, leads to delayed growth and loss of productivity in cattle, while infection in sheep can have more severe effects, potentially leading to death. Previous transcriptomic analyses revealed upregulation of TGFB1, cell death and Toll-like receptor signalling, T-cell activation, and inhibition of nitric oxide production in macrophages in response to infection. However, the differences between ovine and bovine responses have not yet been explored. The objective of this study was to further investigate the transcriptomic response of ovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to F. hepatica infection, and to elucidate the differences between ovine and bovine PBMC responses. Sixteen male Merino sheep were randomly assigned to infected or control groups (n = 8 per group) and orally infected with 120 F. hepatica metacercariae. Transcriptomic data was generated from PBMC at 0, 2 and 16 weeks post-infection (wpi), and analysed for differentially expressed (DE) genes between infected and control animals at each time point (analysis 1), and for each group relative to time 0 (analysis 2). Analysis 2 was then compared to a similar study performed previously on bovine PBMC. A total of 453 DE genes were found at 2 wpi, and 2 DE genes at 16 wpi (FDR &lt; 0.1, analysis 1). Significantly overrepresented biological pathways at 2 wpi included role of PKR in interferon induction and anti-viral response, death receptor signalling and RIG-I-like receptor signalling, which suggested that an activation of innate response to intracellular nucleic acids and inhibition of cellular apoptosis were taking place. Comparison of analysis 2 with the previous bovine transcriptomic study revealed that anti-inflammatory response pathways which were significantly overrepresented in the acute phase in cattle, including IL-10 signalling, Th2 pathway, and Th1 and Th2 activation were upregulated only in the chronic phase in sheep. We propose that the earlier activation of anti-inflammatory responses in cattle, as compared with sheep, may be related to the general absence of acute clinical signs in cattle. These findings offer scope for “smart vaccination” strategies for this important livestock parasite.
Delivery of Anti-miRNA-221 for Colorectal Carcinoma Therapy Using Modified Cord Blood Mesenchymal Stem Cells-Derived Exosomes
Authors: Han Siqi , Li Guangchao , Jia Meng , Zhao Yulu , He Chenglong , Huang Mengxi , Jiang Longwei , Wu Meijuan , Yang Jiahe , Ji Xiaoqin , Liu Xiaobei , Chen Cheng , Chu Xiaoyuan 
Published: September 2021

Background: Exosomes, as natural intercellular information carriers, have great potential in the field of drug delivery. Many studies have focused on modifying exosome surface proteins to allow drugs to specifically target cancer cells.Methods: In this study, human cord blood mesenchymal stromal cell-derived exosomes were used in the delivery of anti-miRNA oligonucleotides so as to be specifically ingested by tumor cells to perform anti-tumor functions. Mesenchymal stem cells modified by the fusion gene iRGD-Lamp2b were constructed to separate and purify exosomes, and the anti-miRNA-221 oligonucleotide (AMO) was loaded into the exosomes by electroporation.Results: The AMO-loaded exosomes (AMO-Exos) effectively inhibited the proliferation and clonal formation of colon cancer cells in vitro, and it was further found that AMO-Exos was taken up by tumor cells through interaction with the NRP-1 protein. The results of a xenograft tumor model also showed that iRGD-modified exosomes were obviously enriched in tumor sites, exerting excellent anti-tumor efficacy. In vivo imaging showed that exosomes were mainly distributed in liver, spleen, and lung tissues.Conclusion: Our results suggest that genetically modified exosomes could be an ideal natural nanostructure for anti-miRNA oligonucleotide delivery.
Leisure Activities, APOE ε4, and Cognitive Decline: A Longitudinal Cohort Study
Authors: Zhang Yun , Fu Shihui , Ding Ding , Lutz Michael W. , Zeng Yi , Yao Yao 
Published: September 2021

Background: Both leisure activities and the ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE ε4) have been shown to affect cognitive health. We aimed to determine whether engagement in leisure activities protects against APOE ε4-related cognitive decline.Methods: We used the cohort data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. A total of 3,017 participants (mean age of 77.0 years, SD = 9.0; 49.3% female) from 23 provinces of China were recruited in 2008 and were reinterviewed in 2014. We assessed cognitive function using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). We calculated cognitive decline using subtraction of the MMSE score of each participant in 2008 and 2014. We genotyped a number of APOE ε4 alleles for each participant at baseline and determined the Index of Leisure Activities (ILAs) by summing up the frequency of nine types of typical activities in productive, social, and physical domains. We used ordinal logistic regression models to estimate the effects of leisure activities, APOE ε4, and their interaction on cognitive decline, statistically adjusted for a range of potential confounders.Results: There were significant associations between APOE ε4 and faster cognitive decline, independent of potential confounders, and between leisure activities and mitigated cognitive decline. The odds ratios were 1.25 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.53) and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.89, 0.97), respectively. We found significant interactions of APOE ε4 with leisure activities with a P-value of 0.018. We also observed interactive effects of subtypes of leisure activities: participants who regularly engaged in productive activities were more likely to reduce the risk of APOE ε4-related cognitive decline.Conclusion: Our findings provide support for the indication that participating in leisure activities reduces the risk of APOE ε4-related cognitive decline.
Parental Adherence to Ideal Cardiovascular Health Status Was Associated With a Substantially Lower Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in Their Offspring Aged 6–18 Years
Authors: Li Yanhui , Gao Di , Yang Zhaogeng , Ma Ying , Chen Manman , Ma Jun , Dong Yanhui , Dong Bin 
Published: September 2021

Background: Parental health status had a potential influence on offspring health. This study aimed to investigate the separate associations between paternal and maternal cardiovascular health statuses and the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in the offspring.Methods: Data were from a cross-sectional study conducted in seven provinces or cities of China in 2013. A total of 29,317 children aged 6–18 years old and their parents, making up 9,585 father-offspring pairs and 19,732 mother-offspring pairs, were included in the final analysis. Information on parental cardiovascular health status factors (dietary behaviors, body mass index (BMI), smoking, physical activity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus) was obtained from the structured self-administrated questionnaires. Based on the health status factors, we then generated an ideal cardiovascular health (iCVH) score. The overweight and obesity of children were defined using age- and sex-specific cutoffs based on the International Obesity Task Force criteria. A multilevel log-binomial regression model was used to assess the association between parental cardiovascular health status and prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in the offspring.Results: The prevalence of pediatric overweight and obesity was 22.0% in the father-offspring subset and 23.8% in the mother-offspring subset, respectively. Fathers with ideal BMI, non-smoking, and absence of hypertension and diabetes, and mothers with ideal BMI, ideal physical activity, and absence of hypertension and diabetes were found to be associated with lower prevalence of overweight and obesity in the offspring. The prevalence of offspring overweight and obesity was significantly decreased with the parental iCVH scores increased. Each additional increase in paternal and maternal iCVH factor was associated with a 30% and 27% lower prevalence of overweight and obesity in the offspring. Compared with children whose parental iCVH scores ≤ 3, offspring whose fathers or mothers met all six iCVH factors had 67% [prevalence ratio (PR): 0.33, 95%CI: 0.25–0.42] and 58% (PR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.29–0.62) lower prevalence of overweight and obesity, respectively.Conclusions: Parental adherence to iCVH status was associated with a lower prevalence of pediatric overweight and obesity in offspring. Our findings support the intervention strategy that parents should involve in the obesity intervention program for children.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Plus Single-Agent Chemotherapy for Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer After Resistance to EGFR-TKI
Authors: Deng Haiyi , Lin Xinqing , Xie Xiaohong , Yang Yilin , Wang Liqiang , Wu Jianhui , Liu Ming , Xie Zhanhong , Qin Yinyin , Zhou Chengzhi 
Published: September 2021

PurposePlatinum-based chemotherapy remains the classic treatment option for patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who progress while receiving treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). In this study, we analyzed real-world outcomes of treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with platinum-free chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC after developing resistance to EGFR-TKIs.MethodsThis retrospective study included patients with mutation-positive NSCLC after developing resistance to EGFR-TKIs. Patients who received chemotherapy alone plus ICIs with or without anti-angiogenic drugs (cohort A) or platinum-based chemotherapy (cohort B) between February 2019 and August 2020 were enrolled. Clinical characteristics, EGFR mutation status, response to therapy, and adverse events (AEs) were retrospectively analyzed.ResultsSeventeen patients were eligible and included in the analysis, including 8 in cohort A and 9 in cohort B. After a median follow-up of 7.6 months, the median progression-free survival was 6.5 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 6.1 to 7.0] in cohort A and 3.6 months (95% CI, 1.3–5.8) in cohort B (hazard ratios, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.05–0.93; P = 0.039). The overall response and disease control rates were 50% and 100% in cohort A, and 22% and 89% in cohort B, respectively. Adverse events of grade 3 or higher occurred in 25% of the patients in cohort A and in 33.3% of the patients in cohort B.ConclusionICIs plus platinum-free, single-agent chemotherapy provides promising progression-free survival and overall response rate benefit, along with a low rate of severe AEs in patients with EGFR-TKI-resistant advanced NSCLC.
Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Distal Pancreatectomy for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Feng Qingbo , Jiang Chuang , Feng Xuping , Du Yan , Liao Wenwei , Jin Hongyu , Liao Mingheng , Zeng Yong , Huang Jiwei 
Published: September 2021

BackgroundRobotic distal pancreatectomy (RDP) and laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) are the two principal minimally invasive surgical approaches for patients with pancreatic body and tail adenocarcinoma. The use of RDP and LDP for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains controversial, and which one can provide a better R0 rate is not clear.MethodsA comprehensive search for studies that compared roboticversuslaparoscopic distal pancreatectomy for PDAC published until July 31, 2021, was conducted. Data on perioperative outcomes and oncologic outcomes (R0-resection and lymph node dissection) were subjected to meta-analysis. PubMed, Cochrane Central Register, Web of Science, and EMBASE were searched based on a defined search strategy to identify eligible studies before July 2021.ResultsSix retrospective studies comprising 572 patients (152 and 420 patients underwent RDP and LDP) were included. The present meta-analysis showed that there were no significant differences in operative time, tumor size, and lymph node dissection between RDP and LDP group. Nevertheless, compared with the LDP group, RDP results seem to demonstrate a possibility in higher R0 resection rate (p&lt;0.0001).ConclusionsThis systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that RDP is a technically and oncologically safe and feasible approach for selected PDAC patients. Large randomized and controlled prospective studies are needed to confirm this data.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails, identifier [CRD42021269353].
The Association Between Financial Hardship and Mental Health Difficulties Among Adult Wage Earners During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh: Findings From a Cross-Sectional Analysis
Authors: Sultana Mst. Sadia , Khan Abid Hasan , Hossain Sahadat , Islam Tauhidul , Hasan M. Tasdik , Ahmed Helal Uddin , Li Zezhi , Khan Jahangir A. M. 
Published: September 2021

Background: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created several challenges including financial burdens that may result in mental health conditions. This study was undertaken to gauge mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic and gain an insight into wage earners' mental health.Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted through an online survey. A t total of 707 individual Bangladeshi wage earners were enrolled between 20 and 30 May 2020. The questionnaire had sections on sociodemographic information, COVID-19 related questions, PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales. STATA version 14.1 program was used to carry out all the analyses.Results: The study revealed that 58.6 and 55.9% of the respondents had moderate to severe anxiety and depressive symptoms, respectively. The total monthly income was &lt;30,000 BDT (353.73USD) and displayed increased odds of suffering from depressive symptoms (OR = 4.12; 95% CI: 2.68–6.34) and anxiety (OR = 3.31; 95% CI: 2.17–5.03). Participants who did not receive salary income, had no income source during the pandemic, had financial problems, and inadequate food supply and were more likely to suffer from anxiety and depressive symptoms (p ≤ 0.01). Perceiving the upcoming financial crisis as a stressor was a potential risk factor for anxiety (OR = 1.91; 95% CI:1.32–2.77) and depressive symptoms (OR = 1.50; 95% CI:1.04–2.16).Limitations: The online survey method used in this study limits the generalizability of the findings and self-reported answers might include selection and social desirability bias as a community-based survey was not possible during the pandemic.Conclusion: Wage earners in a low resource setting like Bangladesh require mental health attention and financial consideration to deal with mental health difficulties.
Comparison of the Effects of a Genetic, a Mild Encephalitis, and a Psychosocial Causal Explanation of Schizophrenia on Stigmatizing Attitudes – a Pilot Study With a Quasi-Experimental Design
Authors: Haouchet Sonja , Harder Carolin , Müller Sabine 
Published: September 2021

Background: Previous research has shown that the endorsement of biogenetic causal explanations of schizophrenia is associated with stronger stigmatizing attitudes against people with schizophrenia than the endorsement of psychosocial explanations. However, little is known about whether different biogenetic causal explanation beliefs differentially affect stigmatizing attitudes. This is particularly valid for the endorsement of the mild encephalitis hypothesis of schizophrenia.Aim: To examine to what extent different causal explanations of schizophrenia influence the desire for social distance from persons with schizophrenia.Methods: A study with a prospective, quasi-experimental design was carried out with students in Germany (N = 333). A case vignette depicting a person with schizophrenia-typical symptoms was presented, and a social distance scale (SDS) was used to measure the stigmatizing attitude against the person described. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups receiving different causal explanations of schizophrenia (genetic, mild encephalitis hypothesis, or psychosocial) without treatment information.Results: A one-way ANOVA showed that the mean SDS was lowest in the group with the mild encephalitis hypothesis explanation, followed by the genetic explanation group, and highest in the psychosocial explanation group. However, the differences between the groups were small and not significant. A subanalysis revealed a significant interaction between gender and causal explanation. Women showed a significantly lower desire for social distance than men when receiving the mild encephalitis hypothesis. Neither the study discipline nor the number of semesters of study had significant effects on the mean SDS. The differences between the mean SDS scores for the different items were much bigger than the differences for the different causal explanations. Regardless of the causal explanation, the extent of the desired social distance depends strongly on social proximity.Conclusion: The present study fits into previous research, which has found that biogenetic beliefs were either associated with more social distance or did not yield a statistically significant association. Although we found a small gender-specific effect of the endorsement of the mild encephalitis hypothesis, we do not recommend gender-specific anti-stigmatization campaigns because they might rightly raise suspicions of dishonesty and manipulation. Rather we support recovery-oriented messages focusing on effective treatments.