bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Compromised Brain Activity With Age During a Game-Like Dynamic Balance Task: Single- vs. Dual-Task Performance
Authors: de Rond Veerle , Orcioli-Silva Diego , Dijkstra Bauke Wybren , Orban de Xivry Jean-Jacques , Pantall Annette , Nieuwboer Alice 
Published: July 2021

Background: Postural control and cognition are affected by aging. We investigated whether cognitive distraction influenced neural activity differently in young and older adults during a game-like mediolateral weight-shifting task with a personalized task load.Methods: Seventeen healthy young and 17 older adults performed a balance game, involving hitting virtual wasps, serial subtractions and a combination of both (dual-task). A motion analysis system estimated each subject's center of mass position. Cortical activity in five regions was assessed by measuring oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) with a functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy system.Results: When adding cognitive load to the game, weight-shifting speed decreased irrespective of age, but older adults reduced the wasp-hits more than young adults. Accompanying these changes, older adults decreased HbO2 in the left pre-frontal cortex (PFC) and frontal eye fields (FEF) compared to single-tasking, a finding not seen in young adults. Additionally, lower HbO2 levels were found during dual-tasking compared to the summed activation of the two single tasks in all regions except for the right PFC. These relative reductions were specific for the older age group in the left premotor cortex (PMC), the right supplementary motor area (SMA), and the left FEF.Conclusion: Older adults showed more compromised neural activity than young adults when adding a distraction to a challenging balance game. We interpret these changes as competitive downgrading of neural activity underpinning the age-related deterioration of game performance during dual-tasking. Future work needs to ascertain if older adults can train their neural flexibility to withstand balance challenges during daily life activities.
Genetic Overlap Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Depression Mapped Onto the Brain
Authors: Monereo-Sánchez Jennifer , Schram Miranda T. , Frei Oleksandr , O’Connell Kevin , Shadrin Alexey A. , Smeland Olav B. , Westlye Lars T. , Andreassen Ole A. , Kaufmann Tobias , Linden David E. J. , van der Meer Dennis 
Published: July 2021

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and depression are debilitating brain disorders that are often comorbid. Shared brain mechanisms have been implicated, yet findings are inconsistent, reflecting the complexity of the underlying pathophysiology. As both disorders are (partly) heritable, characterising their genetic overlap may provide aetiological clues. While previous studies have indicated negligible genetic correlations, this study aims to expose the genetic overlap that may remain hidden due to mixed directions of effects.Methods: We applied Gaussian mixture modelling, through MiXeR, and conjunctional false discovery rate (cFDR) analysis, through pleioFDR, to genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics of AD (n = 79,145) and depression (n = 450,619). The effects of identified overlapping loci on AD and depression were tested in 403,029 participants of the UK Biobank (UKB) (mean age 57.21, 52.0% female), and mapped onto brain morphology in 30,699 individuals with brain MRI data.Results: MiXer estimated 98 causal genetic variants overlapping between the 2 disorders, with 0.44 concordant directions of effects. Through pleioFDR, we identified a SNP in the TMEM106B gene, which was significantly associated with AD (B = −0.002, p = 9.1 × 10–4) and depression (B = 0.007, p = 3.2 × 10–9) in the UKB. This SNP was also associated with several regions of the corpus callosum volume anterior (B &gt; 0.024, p &lt; 8.6 × 10–4), third ventricle volume ventricle (B = −0.025, p = 5.0 × 10–6), and inferior temporal gyrus surface area (B = 0.017, p = 5.3 × 10–4).Discussion: Our results indicate there is substantial genetic overlap, with mixed directions of effects, between AD and depression. These findings illustrate the value of biostatistical tools that capture such overlap, providing insight into the genetic architectures of these disorders.
Ganglioside Alters Phospholipase Trafficking, Inhibits NF-κB Assembly, and Protects Tight Junction Integrity
Authors: Miklavcic John J. , Li Qun , Skolnick Jordan , Thomson Alan B. R. , Mazurak Vera C. , Clandinin Micheal Tom 
Published: July 2021

Background and Aims: Dietary gangliosides are present in human milk and consumed in low amounts from organ meats. Clinical and animal studies indicate that dietary gangliosides attenuate signaling processes that are a hallmark of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Gangliosides decrease pro-inflammatory markers, improve intestinal permeability, and reduce symptoms characteristic in patients with IBD. The objective of this study was to examine mechanisms by which dietary gangliosides exert beneficial effects on intestinal health.Methods: Studies were conducted in vitro using CaCo-2 intestinal epithelial cells. Gangliosides were extracted from milk powder and incubated with differentiated CaCo-2 cells after exposure to pro-inflammatory stimuli. Gut barrier integrity was assessed by electron microscopy, epithelial barrier function was examined by measuring transepithelial electric resistance, and content of HBD-2, IL-23, NF-κB, and sPLA2 was assessed by ELISA.Results: Ganglioside attenuated the decrease in integrity of tight junctions induced by pro-inflammatory stimuli and improved epithelial barrier function (P &lt; 0.05). Ganglioside decreased the basolateral secretion of sPLA2 (P ≤ 0.05), lowered HBD-2 and IL-23 levels (P ≤ 0.05), and inhibited NF-κB activation (P ≤ 0.05).Conclusions: In summary, the present study indicates that ganglioside GD3 improves intestinal integrity by altering sPLA2 trafficking, and the production of pro-inflammatory mediators is mitigated by decreasing assembly of the NF-κB complex. Dietary gangliosides may have promising potential beneficial effects in IBD as decreased inflammatory signaling, improved intestinal integrity, and maintenance of epithelial barrier function have been demonstrated in vitro.
FER Regulated by miR-206 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression via NF-κB Signaling
Authors: Ding Wenzhou , Fan Ye , Jia Wenbo , Pan Xiongxiong , Han Guoyong , Zhang Yao , Chen Zhiqiang , Lu Yiwei , Wang Jinyi , Wu Jindao , Wang Xuehao 
Published: July 2021

ObjectivesFeline sarcoma-related protein (FER) is known to play a critical regulatory role in several carcinomas. However, the exact biological function of FER in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) still needs to be investigated. The primary objective of this research was to investigate the unknown function and molecular mechanisms of FER in HCC.Materials and MethodsThe expression level of FER in HCC tissue samples and cells was examined by RT-qPCR, immunohistochemistry and western blot. Cellular and animal experiments were used to explore the effect of FER on the proliferative and metastatic capacities of HCC cells. The crosstalk between FER and NF-κB signaling was explored by western blot. The upstream factors that regulate FER were evaluated through dual-luciferase experiments and western blot assays.ResultsFER was overexpressed in HCC specimens and HCC cell lines. FER expression levels were positively associated with unfavorable clinicopathological characteristics. The higher the expression of FER was, the worse the overall survival of HCC patients was. The results of loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments indicated that knockdown of FER decreased, while overexpression of FER increased, the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we found that FER activated the NF-κB signaling pathway and stimulated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We also found that FER was directly regulated by miR-206, and the downregulation of miR-206 was associated with proliferation and metastatic progression in HCC.ConclusionsThe present research was the first to reveal that a decrease in miR-206 levels results in an increase in FER expression in HCC, leading to enhanced cell growth and metastatic abilities via activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway.
Low-Dose Radiotherapy Versus Moderate-Dose Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Indolent Orbital Adnexal Lymphomas
Authors: Baron Jonathan , Wright Christopher M. , Lee Daniel Y. , Carpenter Maribel , Manjunath Shwetha H. , Briceño César A. , Chong Elise , Maity Amit , Plastaras John P. , Paydar Ima 
Published: July 2021

PurposeRadiation therapy (RT) with doses ranging from 24 Gray (Gy) to 40 Gy is a proven treatment modality for indolent orbital adnexal lymphoma (IOAL), but recently the use of low dose RT (LDRT, defined as 2 Gy x 2 fractions) has become a notable alternative. However, limited data exists comparing outcomes following LDRT to moderate-dose RT (MDRT, RT dose 4 – 36 Gy). We present a single institution retrospective analysis comparing outcomes of patients with IOALs following LDRT or MDRT.MethodsA total of 36 patients treated with 38 consecutive courses of RT were identified; LDRT was delivered for 14 courses and MDRT for 24 courses. Overall response rates (ORR) were recorded according to Deauville or RECIST criteria with a response characterized as a complete response (CR) or partial response. Local control (LC), orbital control (OC), and overall survival (OS) rates were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method. RT toxicity was graded per CTCAEv5 and compared with the Fisher’s exact test.ResultsMedian follow-up time was 29 months (m) (range, 4-129m), and median MDRT dose used was 24 Gy (range 21-36 Gy). Overall response rates (ORR) were 100% (CR 50%) and 87.5% (CR 58.3%) following LDRT and MDRT, respectively. OS at 2 years was 100% and 95% for the LDRT and MDRT groups, respectively (p=0.36). LC rates at 2 years was 100% for both LDRT and MDRT groups and at 4 years was 100% and 89% for the LDRT and MDRT groups, respectively (p=0.56). The 4-year OC rate (including both ipsilateral and contralateral relapses) was 80% and 85% for the LDRT and MDRT groups, respectively (p=0.79). No patient required treatment with RT to a previously irradiated orbit. Acute toxicities were reported following 6 LDRT courses compared to 20 MDRT courses (p=.014). No Grade 3 or higher acute toxicities occurred in either group. Late toxicities were reported following 2 LDRT courses compared to 10 MDRT courses (p=0.147).ConclusionsLDRT produced similar ORR, LC, OC, and OS rates compared to MDRT with fewer acute and minimal late toxicities reported. Future multi-center studies with larger patient numbers are warranted to show significant associations.
Liver Involvement in Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation and Deglycosylation
Authors: Lipiński Patryk , Bogdańska Anna , Socha Piotr , Tylki-Szymańska Anna 
Published: July 2021

Background: Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) and NGLY1-CDDG (NGLY1-congenital disorder of deglycosylation) usually represent multisystem (especially neurovisceral) diseases with liver involvement reported in some of them. The aim of the study was to characterize the liver phenotype in CDG and NGLY1-CDDG patients hospitalized in our Institute, and to find the most specific features of liver disease among them.Material and Methods: The study involved 39 patients (from 35 families) with CDG, and two patients (from two families) with NGLY1-CDDG, confirmed molecularly, for whom detailed characteristics of liver involvement were available. They were enrolled based on the retrospective analysis of their medical records.Results: At the time of the first consultation, 13/32 patients were diagnosed with hepatomegaly; none of them with splenomegaly. As many as 23/32 persons had elevated serum transaminases, including 16 (70%) who had mildly elevated levels. During the long-term follow-up (available for 19 patients), serum transaminases normalized in 15/19 (79%) of them, including a spontaneous normalization in 12/15 (80%) of them. The GGT activity was observed to be normal in all study cases. Protein C, protein S and antithrombin activities in plasma were observed in 16 patients, and they were decreased in all of them.Conclusions: It is necessary to conduct a long-term follow-up of liver disease in CDG to obtain comprehensive data.
Cost-Effectiveness of Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab as First-Line Therapy in Advanced Non–small-cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Hao Xuezhi , Shen Aizong , Wu Bin 
Published: July 2021

Purpose: The effectiveness of nivolumab plus ipilimumab for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been demonstrated. Decisions have to be made about allocating healthcare resources. Economic evidence could support policy decisions to fund expensive interventions. The current analysis evaluated the cost-effectiveness of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in advanced NSCLC harboring no EGFR or ALK mutations. It is set in the context of the US and China, representing developed and resource-constrained settings, respectively.Patients and Methods: A Markov model consisting of three discrete health states was used to assess the cost-effectiveness of nivolumab plus ipilimumab vs. chemotherapy. The key clinical data were derived from the CheckMate-227 trial, and the cost and health preference data were derived from the literature. Costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and incremental net health benefits (INHBs) were calculated for the two strategies. Subgroup, one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.Results: In the United States, nivolumab plus ipilimumab increased by 1.260 QALYs with an additional cost of $95,617 compared with the features of chemotherapy, which led to an ICER of $75,871 per QALY gained. INHB indicated that nivolumab plus ipilimumab treatment had a 99% probability of being cost-effective at the ICER threshold of $100,000/QALY in all subgroups. The results of sensitivity analyses revealed that the model outcomes were robust. In China, the ICER of nivolumab plus ipilimumab vs. chemotherapy was $59,773/QALY, and the INHB was -1.972 QALY at the threshold of $27,351/QALY.Conclusion: Nivolumab plus ipilimumab treatment is a cost-effective option compared with chemotherapy for patients with advanced NSCLC harboring no EGFR or ALK mutations in the United States. However, nivolumab plus ipilimumab is not a preferred option in China.
Factors Related to COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors: A Structural Equation Model
Authors: Šuriņa Sanita , Martinsone Kristine , Perepjolkina Viktorija , Kolesnikova Jelena , Vainik Uku , Ruža Aleksejs , Vrublevska Jelena , Smirnova Daria , Fountoulakis Konstantinos N. , Rancans Elmars 
Published: July 2021

Background:While COVID-19 has rapidly spread around the world, and vaccines are not widely available to the general population, the World Health Organization outlines preventive behavior as the most effective way to limit the rapid spread of the virus. Preventive behavior is associated with a number of factors that both encourage and discourage prevention.Aim:The aim of this research was to study COVID-19 threat appraisal, fear of COVID-19, trust in COVID-19 information sources, COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and the relationship of socio-demographic variables (gender, age, level of education, place of residence, and employment status) to COVID-19 preventive behavior.Methods:The data originate from a national cross-sectional online survey (N= 2,608) undertaken in July 2020. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.Results:COVID-19 threat appraisal, trust in COVID-19 information sources, and fear of COVID-19 are all significant predictors of COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Together they explain 26.7% of the variance of this variable. COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs significantly negatively predict COVID-19 threat appraisal (R2= 0.206) and trust in COVID-19 information sources (R2= 0.190). COVID-19 threat appraisal contributes significantly and directly to the explanation of the fear of COVID-19 (R2= 0.134). Directly, as well as mediated by COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs, threat appraisal predicts trust in COVID-19 information sources (R2= 0.190). The relationship between COVID-19 threat appraisal and COVID-19 preventive behaviors is partially mediated by fear of COVID-19 (indirect effect 28.6%) and trust in information sources (15.8%). Socio-demographic variables add very little in prediction of COVID-19 preventive behavior.Conclusions:The study results demonstrate that COVID-19 threat appraisal is the most important factor associated with COVID-19 preventive behavior. Those Latvian residents with higher COVID-19 threat appraisal, experienced higher levels of fear of COVID-19, had more trust in COVID-19 information sources, and were more actively involved in following COVID-19 preventive behaviors. COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs negatively predict COVID-19 threat appraisal and trust in COVID-19 information sources, but not the COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Socio-demographic factors do not play an important role here.
Catastrophic Health Expenditure and Its Determinants Among Households With Breast Cancer Patients in China: A Multicentre, Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Sun Cheng-yao , Shi Ju-fang , Fu Wen-qi , Zhang Xin , Liu Guo-xiang , Chen Wan-qing , He Jie 
Published: July 2021

Background: Although numerous studies have examined catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) worldwide, most focus on the general population, not on specific vulnerable groups. We aimed to analyse the extent and the influencing factors of CHE in households with breast cancer patients in China, and explore the ability of different insurances to protect these households from CHE.Methods: A multicentre, cross-sectional interview surveys was conducted in households with breast cancer patients across seven provinces/municipalities in China. CHE were defined as out-of-pocket expenditures ≥ 40% of households' non-food expenditures. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the determinants of CHE in household with breast cancer patients.Results: In the 639 participating households with breast cancer patients, the mean out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure accounted for ~55.20% of the mean households' non-food expenditures. The overall incidence of CHE was 87.95 and 66.28% before and after insurance compensation, respectively. The logistic regression model revealed that education, disease course, health insurance, treatment method, and income were significant predictors of CHE.Conclusions: The results indicated that medical insurance protects some households with breast cancer patients from the impact of CHE. However, their reimbursement rates were relatively low. Therefore, breast cancer still had a significant catastrophic effect on the economy of households. Policy efforts should focus on improving insurance compensation rates and relieving the economic burden of critical illnesses such as breast cancer.
Vaginalsamlagets självklarhet
Authors: Sörensdotter Renita 
Published: July 2021

På såväl ungdomsmottagningar som inom den gynekologiska vården används begreppet samlagssmärta på ett självklart sätt för att klassificera smärtor i underlivet. Samlagssmärta som begrepp beskriver smärtor i slidmynningen som försvårar vaginalsamlag eftersom de sitter där en penis ska passera vid hetero- sexuellt sex. Genom begreppet samlagssmärta sätts vaginalsamlaget i centrum för den diskurs som formas om smärtorna i underlivet. Därutöver innebär den heteronormativa bilden av sex som likställt med vaginalsamlag att personer med vulvasmärtor som har lesbiskt eller queert sex, eller som lever asexuellt, osynlig- görs. Personalen på ungdomsmottagningarna har formell expertmakt i hur de definierar, kategoriserar och förklarar vulvasmärtor. Därmed är det intressant att analysera hur begreppet samlagssmärta och dess konnotationer är verksamma i personalens arbete med dem som lider av vulvasmärtor.
I den här artikeln analyserar jag hur personal på ungdomsmottagningar talar om samlagssmärta och hur de därigenom formar en diskurs som bygger på sam- manlänkningar av unga kvinnor, vulvasmärtor och sexuell praktik. Genom teorier om heteronormativitet, samlagsimperativ och expertmakt visar jag på hur vaginal- samlaget blir det nav som smärtan i underlivet kategoriseras och förklaras utifrån. Diskursen om samlagsmärta diskuteras främst med utgångspunkt i hur barnmor- skor, kuratorer och gynekologer på ungdomsmottagningar i sin roll som experter använder begreppet, men även utifrån hur den formats historiskt och medicinskt. Artikeln innehåller också material ur ett tidigare projekt om dem som är drab- bade av vulvasmärtor, men detta material står inte i centrum för analysen.
Increasing Culture Knowledge and Growing Environmental Awareness Attitude of Junior Secondary School Students Through Chemistry Local Content Program
Authors: Basuki Ari 
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this research are increase of culture knowledge and grow of environmental awareness attitude junior secondary school students at chemistry learning, by applying of chemistry local content program based on the “Orang Laut” culture. Research conduct used quasi-experiment method. Research subjects were 8th grade students in Tanjungpinang city that consist of 99 and 94 students on experiment and control groups, respectively. Score of culture knowledge and environmental awareness attitude collected by validated test and questionnaire instruments, respectively. Pretest and posttest culture knowledge scores used to calculate of normalized gain (N-gain) average of experiment and control groups. Average score of environmental awareness attitude used to identify of student environmental awareness attitude growth after chemistry learning on the experiment group. To compare the increasing of culture knowledge on the experiment and control groups conduct by statistical t-test with ?=0,05. The research result indicated that applying of chemistry local content program based on the “Orang Laut” culture at chemistry learning could increase of culture knowledge junior secondary school students better than conventional chemistry learning and growth of student environmental awareness attitude. The difference of culture knowledge increased on the experiment and control groups was significant ( tcalc = 10,023; p=0,000) with average of N-gain percent respectively 46 and 20 in the middle and low categories. Average score of student environmental awareness attitude in good criteria at 3,8 point.