bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
ABO blood group type does not influence the level of SARS-CoV-2 antibody response in convalescent plasma donors
Authors: Žiberna Klemen , Jazbec Katerina , Jež Mojca , Mali Polonca , Potokar Urška Rahne , Rožman Primož 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThe association of ABO blood group types with the COVID-19 disease has been confirmed by several studies, with the blood group A-type patients being more susceptible and prone to more severe clinical course of disease. Similarly, some authors explored the association of ABO-types and the levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in convalescents. The recent reports mostly support a theory that non-O blood group convalescents present with higher levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Since these findings were based on small convalescent cohorts, we quantified the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodiy levels in four larger cohorts of total 3185 convalescent plasma donors with three commercial serological tests and one standard neutralizing antibody test. The majority of donors had undergone a mild form of disease and the median time of sampling was 66 days after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. None of the antibody quantitation methods showed an association of the ABO blood group types with the level of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The same result is evident in the group of vaccinated individuals (n=370) as well as in the groups stratified into three post-COVID-19 periods (0-60, 60-120, and 120-180 days). In conclusion we can state that the ABO blood group type does not influence the level of SARS-CoV-2 antibody response in COVID-19 convalescent plasma donors.
The Relationship Between Food Security and Dietary Patterns Status with COVID-19 in Northeastern Iran: Protocol for a Case-Control Study
Authors: Badri-Fariman Sepideh , Pourghassem-Gargari Bahram , Badri-Fariman Mahtab , Pourfridoni Mohammad , Daneshi-Maskooni Milad 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackgroundFood insecurity is defined as the limited or uncertain availability of enough food for a consistently active and healthy life. COVID-19 is a highly transmissible viral infection with high mortality due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and, or the uncommon severe pneumonia. This study assesses the relationship between food security and dietary patterns status with COVID-19 in the North Khorasan province, Iran.MethodsThis case-control study will be conducted in the men and women aged 20-60 years improved from COVID-19 infection. The cases (n=124) and controls (n=124) were selected according to the eligibility criteria, including recently improved COVID-19 according to the positive COVID-19 PCR test. People referred to public and private laboratories or employees of public and private factories, offices, and departments of hospitals and universities (for the cases) and negative PCR tests without any clinical signs of COVID-19 infection (for the controls). The North Khorasan province was the target place. The groups are matched for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). The assessments will include anthropometric measurements and general demographic, USDA 18-item food security (18item-FSSM), and 147-item food frequency (FFQ) questionnaires. Finally, the determination of the relationship between food security and dietary patterns status and associated socioeconomic factors with COVID-19 is done. P-value will be <0.05.DiscussionThis study would be the first assessment of the relationship between food security and dietary patterns status with COVID-19 disease. It may help planners and policymakers to manage food insecurity and unhealthy dietary patterns and later increasing the immune system and decreasing the incidence of COVID-19. Further studies are suggested.
COVID-19 Observations from Hospitalized Ward Patients in the Northern Emirates: A Practice Only Preached
Authors: Qureshi Shahab , Kampani Drishti D. , Hassan Al-Qutbi Tara Ali , Mohamed Aalya , Alfaresi Mubarak 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has established itself as the defining global health crisis of this time. The study describes the clinical profile of hospitalized, non-ICU patients with COVID-19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during its second wave, through January-March 2021. It also highlights the use of antibiotic stewardship principles in patients admitted with COVID-19.MethodologyAn observational, retrospective study was conducted with 110 participants from Sheikh Khalifa General Hospital – Umm Al Quwain in the UAE. Pregnant women, patients who were admitted to/transferred to/discharged from the intensive care unit, patients who were receiving antibiotics prior to admission were excluded from the study.ResultsPopulation was 58.2% male with a mean age of 51.2 (± 14.6) years; 69.1% had at least one comorbidity and 61.8% were classified as severe COVID-19 disease. Mean WBC count was 6.03 ± 2.70 × 109 cells/L with a mean CRP of 83.3 ± 14.6 mg/L. 4.2% of the tested (20.9%) blood cultures performed were positive. Immunomodulators (67.26%), prophylactic anticoagulants (90%), anti-viral drugs (83.61%) were primary modalities of therapy. Empiric antibiotic use was limited to 9.1% of population.ConclusionOur study highlighted that the population admitted to the hospital in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UAE were mostly male, older with higher prevalence of comorbidities. Given the limited knowledge of the new disease, we took bold but calculated clinical measures to maintain antibiotic stewardship practice and brought antibiotic prescribing to extraordinary low level not seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early COVID-related Acute Kidney Injury Recovery May Course with Hydroelectrolytic Disorders in Patients With High Risk of Insensible Fluid Loss
Authors: Braga Barbosa Géssica Sabrine , de Jesus Torres de Melo Ana Gabriela , Gomes Ribeiro Rayra , del Pilar Via Reque Cortes Daniela , Sandoval Cabrera Carla Paulina , Santos Andrade Filho Rubens , Tamborra Pantaroto Guilherme , de Castro Paul Schultze Bruno , Paula Gilberto Alvarenga , Rodrigues Camila Eleuterio 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackgroundAcute Kidney Injury (AKI) may occur in more than 30% of COVID hospitalized patients, and renal recovery is poorly described.AimWe aimed to evaluate the renal short-term recovery profile of COVID-related AKI (COV+) compared to COVID-unrelated AKI (COV-).Designcase-control retrospective single-center studyMethodsAll patients admitted to the Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo, who recovered AKI from April to June of 2020 (COV+, n=98) and from August to October of 2019 (COV-, n=50) were analyzed. Recovery was defined by spontaneous serum creatinine drop or withdrawal of dialysis. Serum electrolytes were analyzed during the first five days of recovery.ResultsAmong 333 COV+ patients, 98 recovered from AKI (29.4%), while 50 of 177 COV-patients recovered (28.2%). The COV- group presented higher prevalence of chronic morbidities, while the COV+ group had a worse acute clinical course requiring vasoactive drugs (VAD), mechanical ventilation (MV) and dialysis. COVID-19 diagnosis was associated with need of mecxhanical ventilation, dialysis, presence of fever, and higher use of any diuretic drug during first days of recovery. The presence of fever and mechanical ventilation were the predictors associated with intravascular volume depletion surrogates (daily progressive rising in sodium levels and elevation in serum urea: creatinine ratio). Neither COVID-19 nor diuretics use seem to be independent risk factors for this.ConclusionsIntravascular volume depletion surrogates are more common in short-term AKI-recovery of patients presenting fever and mechanical ventilation, commons features in SARS-CoV2 infection.
Establishing CREATE: Lessons learned in setting up a training environment for early-career researchers in respiratory medicine
Authors: Christian Katherine , Hey-Cunningham Alison , Corte Tamera , Goh Nicole , Jaffar Jade , Reynolds Paul , Teoh Alan , Troy Lauren 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackgroundThe purpose of the National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis (CRE-PF) is to improve and extend the lives of patients living with pulmonary fibrosis through the development of a comprehensive and integrated program of basic and clinical research and education across Australia. A key objective of the CRE-PF was establishment of a unique national training scheme, CREATE, for early-career researchers (ECRs) in respiratory research. CREATE ECRs are broadly drawn from two main fields of researchers: clinicians and scientists, where clinicians tend to be involved in part-time translational research and scientists are involved in broad scientific research including laboratory or genetic research, health economics or population research.MethodsWe describe the CREATE Program which, with limited budget and the assistance of key organisations, has provided funding opportunities (scholarships, fellowships, prizes, travel and collaboration grants), professional development (mentoring program, symposia, presentation opportunities and on-line training) and fostered a connected, supportive research community for respiratory ECRs.ResultsThe CREATE program has successfully fostered the development of the supported researchers, contributing substantially to the future of pulmonary fibrosis research in Australia. During the life of the program the CRE-PF has offered 10 PhD scholarships and five postdoctoral fellowships, awarded 13 travel grants and three grants to promote collaboration between ECRs from different institutes. A mentoring program has been established and CREATE Symposia have been held in association with key meetings. During COVID-19 restrictions, a series of virtual research meetings has offered 12 CREATE ECRs from seven universities the opportunity to present their research to a national audience.CREATE research-related achievements are impressive, including over 80 first-author publications by ECRs, and many conference presentations. Contributions to the research community, measured by committee membership, is also strong.ConclusionsIn spite of a very limited budget, wide geographic distribution of participants and the multi-disciplinary nature of the cohort, we have succeeded in providing a unique, supportive academic development environment for CREATE ECRs. Lessons learned in the process of developing this program include the importance of leveraging funding, being flexible, building networks and seeking and responding to ECR input.
From raw data to a score: Comparing quantitative methods that construct multi-level composite implementation strength scores of family planning programs in Malawi
Authors: Pattnaik Anooj , Mohan Diwakar , Zeger Scott , Kanyuka Mercy , Kachale Fannie , Marx Melissa A. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackgroundData that capture implementation strength can be combined in multiple ways across content and health system levels to create a summary measure that can help us to explore and compare program implementation across facility catchment areas. Summary indices can make it easier for national policymakers to understand and address variation in strength of program implementation across jurisdictions. In this paper we describe development of an index that we used to describe the district-level strength of implementation of Malawi’s national family planning program.MethodsTo develop the index, we used data collected during a 2017 national, health facility- and community health worker Implementation Strength Assessment survey in Malawi to test different methods to combine indicators within and then across domains (4 methods – simple additive, weighted additive, principal components analysis, exploratory factor analysis) and combine scores across health facility and community health worker levels (2 methods – simple average and mixed effects model) to create a catchment area-level summary score for each health facility in Malawi. We explored how well each model captures variation and predicts couple-years protection and how feasible it is to conduct each type of analysis and the resulting interpretability.ResultsWe found little difference in how the four methods combined indicator data at the individual and combined levels of the health system. However, there were major differences when combining scores across health system levels to obtain a score at the health facility catchment area level. The scores resulting from the mixed effects model were able to better discriminate differences between catchment area scores compared to the simple average method. The scores using the mixed effects combination method also demonstrated more of a dose-response relationship with couple-years protection.ConclusionsThe summary measure that was calculated from the mixed effects combination method captured the variation of strength of implementation of Malawi’s national family planning program at the health facility catchment area level. However, the best method for creating an index should be based on pros and cons listed, not least, analyst capacity and ease of interpretability of findings. Ultimately, the resulting summary measure can aid decisionmakers in understanding the combined effect of multiple aspects of programs being implemented in their health system and comparing strengths of programs across geographies.
Multi-ancestry gene-trait connection landscape using electronic health record (EHR) linked biobank data
Authors: Li Binglan , Veturi Yogasudha , Lucas Anastasia , Bradford Yuki , Verma Shefali S. , Verma Anurag , Park Joseph , Wei Wei-Qi , Feng Qiping , Namjou Bahram , Kiryluk Krzysztof , Kullo Iftikhar , Luo Yuan , Pividori Milton , Im Hae Kyung , Greene Casey S. , Ritchie Marylyn D. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractUnderstanding genetic factors of complex traits across ancestry groups holds a key to improve the overall health care quality for diverse populations in the United States. In recent years, multiple electronic health record-linked (EHR-linked) biobanks have recruited participants of diverse ancestry backgrounds; these biobanks make it possible to obtain phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) summary statistics on a genome-wide scale for different ancestry groups. Moreover, advancement in bioinformatics methods provide novel means to accelerate the translation of basic discoveries to clinical utility by integrating GWAS summary statistics and expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) data to identify complex trait-related genes, such as transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) and colocalization analyses. Here, we combined the advantages of multi-ancestry biobanks and data integrative approaches to investigate the multi-ancestry, gene-disease connection landscape. We first performed a phenome-wide TWAS on Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) III network participants of European ancestry (N = 68,813) and participants of African ancestry (N = 12,658) populations, separately. For each ancestry group, the phenome-wide TWAS tested gene-disease associations between 22,535 genes and 309 curated disease phenotypes in 49 primary human tissues, as well as cross-tissue associations. Next, we identified gene-disease associations that were shared across the two ancestry groups by combining the ancestry-specific results via meta-analyses. We further applied a Bayesian colocalization method, fastENLOC, to prioritize likely functional gene-disease associations with supportive colocalized eQTL and GWAS signals. We replicated the phenome-wide gene-disease analysis in the analogous Penn Medicine BioBank (PMBB) cohorts and sought additional validations in the PhenomeXcan UK Biobank (UKBB) database, PheWAS catalog, and systematic literature review. Phenome-wide TWAS identified many proof-of-concept gene-disease associations, e.g. FTO-obesity association (p = 7.29e-15), and numerous novel disease-associated genes, e.g. association between GATA6-AS1 with pulmonary heart disease (p = 4.60e-10). In short, the multi-ancestry, gene-disease connection landscape provides rich resources for future multi-ancestry complex disease research. We also highlight the importance of expanding the size of non-European ancestry datasets and the potential of exploring ancestry-specific genetic analyses as these will be critical to improve our understanding of the genetic architecture of complex disease.
White matter alterations in focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures
Authors: Maher Christina , D’Souza Arkiev , Zeng Rui , Barnett Michael , Kavehei Omid , Nikpour Armin , Wang Chenyu 
Published: October 2021

AbstractWe sought to examine the microstructural white matter differences in patients with focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (FBTCS), compared to those with focal epilepsy without FBTCS, and control participants. Using a superior tract segmentation model, we obtained track-weighted tensor-metrics (TW-TM), implemented through an automated pipeline for image analysis and tract reconstruction. Analysis of covariance was used to compare group differences in the TW-TM for whole-tract and hemispheric tract measurements. We identified several white matter regions that displayed significantly altered white matter in patients with focal epilepsy compared to controls. Further, patients without FBTCS had significantly increased white matter disruption in the inferior fronto-occipital fascicle and the striato-occipital tract. In contrast, patients with FBTCS were more similar to healthy controls in most regions, except for distinct alterations in the inferior cerebellar region compared to the non-FBTCS group and controls. Our study revealed marked alterations in a range of subcortical tracts widely considered critical in the genesis of seizures in focal epilepsy. Our application of TW-TM in a new clinical dataset enabled the identification of specific tracts that may act as a predictive biomarker to distinguish patients who are likely to develop FBTCS.
Resting State fMRI Speech, Language, and Executive Function Network Connectivity in Children with and without Listening Difficulties
Authors: Hoyda Julia C. , Stewart Hannah J. , Vannest Jennifer , Moore David R. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractListening Difficulties (LiD) are characterized by a child having reported issues with listening despite exhibiting normal hearing thresholds. LiD can often overlap with other developmental disorders, including speech and language disorders, and involve similar higher-order auditory processing. This study used resting-state functional MRI to examine functional brain networks associated with receptive and expressive speech and language and executive function in children with LiD and typically developing (TD) peers (average age of 10 years).We examined differences in region-of-interest (ROI)-to-ROI functional connectivity between: (1) the LiD group and the TD group and (2) within the LiD group, those participants who had seen a Speech-Language Pathologist and those who had not. The latter comparison was examined as a way of comparing children with and without speech and language disorders. Connections that differed between groups were analyzed for correlations with behavioral test data.The results showed functional connectivity differences between the LiD group and TD group in the executive function network and trends in the speech perception network. Differences were also found in the executive network between those LiD participants who had seen an SLP and those who had not.Several of these connectivity differences, particularly frontal-striatal connections, correlated with performance on behavioral tests: including tests that measure attention, executive function, and episodic memory, as well as speech, vocabulary, and sentence structure.The results of this study suggest that differences in functional connectivity in brain networks associated with speech perception and executive function may underlie and contribute to listening difficulties.
Seroconversion rate and socioeconomic and ethnic risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in children in a population-based cohort
Authors: Brinkmann F , Diebner HH , Matenar C , Schlegtendal A , Eitner L , Timmesfeld N , Maier C , Lücke T 
Published: October 2021

AbstractIntroductionSocioeconomic and ethnic background have been discussed as possible risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infections in children. Improved knowledge could lead way to tailored prevention strategies and help to improve infection control.MethodsObservational population-based cohort study in children (6mo. - 18 ys.) scheduled for legally required preventive examination and their parents in a metropolitan region in Germany. Primary endpoint was the SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion rate during study period. Risk factors assessed included age, pre-existing medical conditions, socioeconomic factors, and ethnicity.Results2124 children and their parents were included. Seroconversion rates among children in all age groups increased by 3-4-fold from 06/2020 to 02/2021. Only 41% of seropositive children were symptomatic. In 51% of infected children at least one parent was also SARS-CoV-2 positive.Low level of parental education (OR 3.13 (0.72-13.69)) significantly increased the risk of infection. Of the total cohort, 38.5% had a migration background. Specifically, 9% were of Turkish and 5% of Middle Eastern origin. These children had the highest risk for SARS-CoV-2 infections (OR 6.24 (1.38-28.12) and 6.44 (1.14-36.45) after adjustment for other risk factors.DiscussionSeroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in children increased by 3-4-fold within the study period. Frequently, more than one family member was infected. Children from families with lower socioeconomic status were at higher risk. The highest risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection was identified in families with Turkish or Middle Eastern background. Culture sensitive approaches are essential to improve infection control and serve as a blueprint for vaccination strategies in this population.Trial RegistrationBMBF funding registration 01KI20173 (Corkid)
Nurses’ Perceptions regarding the antiretroviral therapy services at selected health facilities in Lesotho
Authors: Nyangu Isabel , Nkosi Zerish Zethu 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackgroundIn Lesotho, ART services are provided in primary health care (PHC) facilities which are mostly run by nurses.PurposeThe study aimed to describe perceptions of nurses regarding the antiretroviral therapy services at PHC facilities across six selected districts in Lesotho.MethodsA cross sectional survey was conducted in which convenience sampling was used to select 214 nurses working at PHC facilities across six districts. They completed a structured self-report questionnaire that collected information on their perceptions using a Likert scale with six options (strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree, and no answer). The response rate was 92% (n=197) and data were analyzed using SPSS (23).ResultsNurses’ perceptions were positive and the same on whether ARVS and other medications were available; they were qualified and competent to provide ART services; they had adequate resources and equipment to provide ART services; they were satisfied with their jobs and the services they provided; and there was monitoring and evaluating system for the ART services. Nurses’ perceptions significantly differed and were mostly negative on whether they were adequately staffed to provide ART services; their organizational structures allowed for the provision of adequate and efficient services; ART services were accessible; and there was adequate and accurate documentation of the ART services they provided.ConclusionsAs nurses are the main health care providers in Lesotho, their perceptions are important in improving service delivery. It is important to standardize ART services across the districts to ensure equitable accessibility in line with service demand.