bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of surveillance core and support functions regarding neglected tropical diseases in Kenya
Authors: Ng’etich Arthur K. S. , Voyi Kuku , Mutero Clifford M. 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background
Effective surveillance and response systems are vital to achievement of disease control and elimination goals. Kenya adopted the revised guidelines of the integrated disease surveillance and response system in 2012. Previous assessments of surveillance system core and support functions in Africa are limited to notifiable diseases with minimal attention given to neglected tropical diseases amenable to preventive chemotherapy (PC-NTDs). The study aimed to assess surveillance system core and support functions relating to PC-NTDs in Kenya.

Methods
A mixed method cross-sectional survey was adapted involving 192 health facility workers, 50 community-level health workers and 44 sub-national level health personnel. Data was collected using modified World Health Organization generic questionnaires, observation checklists and interview schedules. Descriptive summaries, tests of associations using Pearson’s Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests and mixed effects regression models were used to analyse quantitative data. Qualitative data derived from interviews with study participants were coded and analysed thematically.

Results
Surveillance core and support functions in relation to PC-NTDs were assessed in comparison to an indicator performance target of 80%. Optimal performance reported on specimen handling (84%; 100%), reports submission (100%; 100%) and data analysis (84%; 80%) at the sub-county and county levels respectively. Facilities achieved the threshold on reports submission (84%), reporting deadlines (88%) and feedback (80%). However, low performance reported on case definitions availability (60%), case registers (19%), functional laboratories (52%) and data analysis (58%). Having well-equipped laboratories (3.07, 95% CI: 1.36, 6.94), PC-NTDs provision in reporting forms (3.20, 95% CI: 1.44, 7.10) and surveillance training (4.15, 95% CI: 2.30, 7.48) were associated with higher odds of functional surveillance systems. Challenges facing surveillance activities implementation revealed through qualitative data were in relation to surveillance guidelines and reporting tools, data analysis, feedback, supervisory activities, training and resource provision.

Conclusion
There was evidence of low-performing surveillance functions regarding PC-NTDs especially at the peripheral surveillance levels. Case detection, registration and confirmation, reporting, data analysis and feedback performed sub-optimally at the facility and community levels. Additionally, support functions including standards and guidelines, supervision, training and resources were particularly weak at the sub-national level. Improved PC-NTDs surveillance performance sub-nationally requires strengthened capacities.
Peer victimisation during adolescence and its impact on wellbeing in adulthood: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Armitage Jessica M. , Wang R. Adele H. , Davis Oliver S. P. , Bowes Lucy , Haworth Claire M. A. 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Background
Peer victimisation is a common occurrence and has well-established links with a range of psychiatric problems in adulthood. Significantly less is known however, about how victimisation influences positive aspects of mental health such as wellbeing. The purpose of this study was therefore to assess for the first time, whether peer victimisation in adolescence is associated with adult wellbeing. We aimed to understand whether individuals who avoid a diagnosis of depression after victimisation, maintain good wellbeing in later life, and therefore display resilience.

Methods
Longitudinal data was taken from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a prospective cohort study based in the UK. Peer victimisation was assessed at 13 years using a modified version of the bullying and friendship interview schedule, and wellbeing at age 23 using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale. The presence or absence of depression was diagnosed using the Clinical Interview Schedule–Revised at 18 years. A series of logistic and linear regression analyses were used to explore relationships between peer victimisation, depression, and wellbeing, adjusting for potentially confounding individual and family factors.

Results
Just over 15% of victims of frequent bullying had a diagnosis of depression at age 18. Victimisation also had a significant impact on wellbeing, with a one-point increase in frequent victimisation associated with a 2.71-point (SE = 0.46, p < 0.001) decrease in wellbeing scores aged 23. This finding remained after adjustment for the mediating and moderating effects of depression, suggesting that the burden of victimisation extends beyond depression to impact wellbeing. Results therefore show that individuals who remain partially resilient by avoiding a diagnosis of depression after victimisation have significantly poorer wellbeing than their non-victimised counterparts.

Conclusion
Overall, our study demonstrates for the first time that victimisation during adolescence is a significant risk factor for not only the onset of depression, but also poor wellbeing in adulthood. Such findings highlight the importance of investigating both dimensions of mental health to understand the true burden of victimisation and subsequent resilience. In addition to the need for interventions that reduce the likelihood of depression following adolescent victimisation, efforts should also be made to promote good wellbeing.
Reflective practice and transcultural psychiatry peer e-learning between Somaliland and the UK: a qualitative evaluation
Authors: Prosser Mia , Stephenson Thomas , Mathur Jai , Enayati Hanieh , Kadie Abdirasak , Abdi Manal Mohamed , Handuleh Jibril I. M. , Keynejad Roxanne C. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractBackgroundReflective practice is a key skill for healthcare professionals. E-learning programmes have the potential to develop reflective practice in remote settings and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where access to in-person reflective groups may be reduced. ‘Aqoon’ is a global mental health peer-to-peer e-learning programme between Somaliland and UK medical students. We aimed to explore participants’ experiences of participating in the Aqoon programme, including their experiences of reflective practice.MethodsThirty-three medical students (22 Somaliland, 11 UK) enrolled in Aqoon. We matched volunteer learners in trios, to meet online to discuss anonymised clinical cases relevant to chapters of the World Health Organization’s mental health gap action programme (mhGAP) intervention guide. We conducted thematic analysis of learners’ reflective writing and post-programme focus group transcripts.ResultsTwenty-four students (73%) attended at least three online discussions (14 Somaliland, 10 UK). Somaliland and UK students described improved reflective skills and greater recognition of stigma towards mental ill-health. Themes included gaining memorable insights from peer discussions which would impact their medical education. UK students emphasised improved cultural understanding of common psychiatric presentations whilst Somaliland students reflected on increased clinical confidence.DiscussionIntegrating reflective practice into Aqoon showed the potential for low-cost e-learning interventions to develop cross-cultural reflective practice among medical students in diverse settings.
Targeting AURKA in Cancer: molecular mechanisms and opportunities for Cancer therapy
Authors: Du Ruijuan , Huang Chuntian , Liu Kangdong , Li Xiang , Dong Zigang 
Published: January 2021

AbstractAurora kinase A (AURKA) belongs to the family of serine/threonine kinases, whose activation is necessary for cell division processes via regulation of mitosis. AURKA shows significantly higher expression in cancer tissues than in normal control tissues for multiple tumor types according to the TCGA database. Activation of AURKA has been demonstrated to play an important role in a wide range of cancers, and numerous AURKA substrates have been identified. AURKA-mediated phosphorylation can regulate the functions of AURKA substrates, some of which are mitosis regulators, tumor suppressors or oncogenes. In addition, enrichment of AURKA-interacting proteins with KEGG pathway and GO analysis have demonstrated that these proteins are involved in classic oncogenic pathways. All of this evidence favors the idea of AURKA as a target for cancer therapy, and some small molecules targeting AURKA have been discovered. These AURKA inhibitors (AKIs) have been tested in preclinical studies, and some of them have been subjected to clinical trials as monotherapies or in combination with classic chemotherapy or other targeted therapies.
Procalcitonin expression in patients with large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung
Authors: Itoga Masamichi , Tanaka Hisashi , Taima Kageaki , Ishioka Yoshiko , Sakamoto Hiroaki , Takanashi Shingo , Kurose Akira , Tasaka Sadatomo 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Objective
Procalcitonin (PCT) has received much attention as a serum marker for bacterial infection. Elevated serum PCT is occasionally seen in severe trauma, heatstroke, and neoplastic diseases, including lung cancer with neuroendocrine component.

Results
In the present study, we evaluated PCT expression in the specimen of pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors, comparing large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), carcinoid, and small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). Pathological specimens of 10 LCNEC, 4 carcinoid, and 7 SCLC cases were evaluated with immunochemical staining of PCT. Clinical characteristics and serum levels of PCT and C-reactive protein were also evaluated. We observed positive PCT expression in 5 (50%) LCNEC and 2 (50%) carcinoid specimens that were surgically resected. Whereas serum PCT levels were not elevated in patients with PCT-positive carcinoid, two out of three LCNEC patients with high PCT expression in the tumor had elevated serum PCT levels that reflected disease progression. In patients with SCLC, PCT was not detected in the tumor or serum. This is the first immunohistochemical study of the PCT expression in the lung tumor specimens. We concluded that, in patients with LCNEC, high serum PCT levels may be indicative of disease activity and serve as a biomarker.
Steganographic visual story with mutual-perceived joint attention
Authors: Guo Yanyang , Wu Hanzhou , Zhang Xinpeng 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSocial media plays an increasingly important role in providing information and social support to users. Due to the easy dissemination of content, as well as difficulty to track on the social network, we are motivated to study the way of concealing sensitive messages in this channel with high confidentiality. In this paper, we design a steganographic visual stories generation model that enables users to automatically post stego status on social media without any direct user intervention and use the mutual-perceived joint attention (MPJA) to maintain the imperceptibility of stego text. We demonstrate our approach on the visual storytelling (VIST) dataset and show that it yields high-quality steganographic texts. Since the proposed work realizes steganography by auto-generating visual story using deep learning, it enables us to move steganography to the real-world online social networks with intelligent steganographic bots.
Eprenetapopt (APR-246) and Azacitidine in TP53-Mutant Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Authors: Sallman David A. , DeZern Amy E. , Garcia-Manero Guillermo , Steensma David P. , Roboz Gail J. , Sekeres Mikkael A. , Cluzeau Thomas , Sweet Kendra L. , McLemore Amy , McGraw Kathy L. , Puskas John , Zhang Ling , Yao Jiqiang , Mo Qianxing , Nardelli Lisa , Al Ali Najla H. , Padron Eric , Korbel Greg , Attar Eyal C. , Kantarjian Hagop M. , Lancet Jeffrey E. , Fenaux Pierre , List Alan F. , Komrokji Rami S. 
Published: January 2021

PURPOSE Approximately 20% of patients with TP53-mutant myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) achieve complete remission (CR) with hypomethylating agents. Eprenetapopt (APR-246) is a novel, first-in-class, small molecule that restores wild-type p53 functions in TP53-mutant cells. METHODS This was a phase Ib/II study to determine the safety, recommended phase II dose, and efficacy of eprenetapopt administered in combination with azacitidine in patients with TP53-mutant MDS or acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with 20%-30% marrow blasts (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03072043 ). RESULTS Fifty-five patients (40 MDS, 11 AML, and four MDS/myeloproliferative neoplasms) with at least one TP53 mutation were treated. The overall response rate was 71% with 44% achieving CR. Of patients with MDS, 73% (n = 29) responded with 50% (n = 20) achieving CR and 58% (23/40) a cytogenetic response. The overall response rate and CR rate for patients with AML was 64% (n = 7) and 36% (n = 4), respectively. Patients with only TP53 mutations by next-generation sequencing had higher rates of CR (69% v 25%; P = .006). Responding patients had significant reductions in TP53 variant allele frequency and p53 expression by immunohistochemistry, with 21 (38%) achieving complete molecular remission (variant allele frequency < 5%). Median overall survival was 10.8 months with significant improvement in responding versus nonresponding patients by landmark analysis (14.6 v 7.5 months; P = .0005). Overall, 19/55 (35%) patients underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplant, with a median overall survival of 14.7 months. Adverse events were similar to those reported for azacitidine or eprenetapopt monotherapy, with the most common grade ≥ 3 adverse events being febrile neutropenia (33%), leukopenia (29%), and neutropenia (29%). CONCLUSION Combination treatment with eprenetapopt and azacitidine is well-tolerated yielding high rates of clinical response and molecular remissions in patients with TP53-mutant MDS and oligoblastic AML.
Risk-Based Selection of Individuals for Oral Cancer Screening
Authors: Cheung Li C. , Ramadas Kunnambath , Muwonge Richard , Katki Hormuzd A. , Thomas Gigi , Graubard Barry I. , Basu Partha , Sankaranarayanan Rengaswamy , Somanathan Thara , Chaturvedi Anil K. 
Published: January 2021

PURPOSE: We evaluated proof of principle for resource-efficient, risk-based screening through reanalysis of the Kerala Oral Cancer Screening Trial. METHODS: The cluster-randomized trial included three triennial rounds of visual inspection (seven clusters, n = 96,516) versus standard of care (six clusters, n = 95,354) and up to 9 years of follow-up. We developed a Cox regression–based risk prediction model for oral cancer incidence. Using this risk prediction model to adjust for the oral cancer risk imbalance between arms, through intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses that accounted for cluster randomization, we calculated the relative (hazard ratios [HRs]) and absolute (rate differences [RDs]) screening efficacy on oral cancer mortality and compared screening efficiency across risk thresholds. RESULTS: Oral cancer mortality was reduced by 27% in the screening versus control arms (HR = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.98), including a 29% reduction in ever-tobacco and/or ever-alcohol users (HR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.99). This relative efficacy was similar across oral cancer risk quartiles ( P interaction = .59); consequently, the absolute efficacy increased with increasing model-predicted risk—overall trial: RD in the lowest risk quartile (Q1) = 0.5/100,000 versus 13.4/100,000 in the highest quartile (Q4), P trend = .059 and ever-tobacco and/or ever-alcohol users: Q1 RD = 1.0/100,000 versus Q4 = 22.5/100,000; P trend = .026. In a population akin to the Kerala trial, screening of 100% of individuals would provide 27.1% oral cancer mortality reduction at number needed to screen (NNS) = 2,043. Restriction of screening to ever-tobacco and/or ever-alcohol users with no additional risk stratification would substantially enhance efficiency (43.4% screened for 23.3% oral cancer mortality reduction at NNS = 1,029), whereas risk prediction model–based screening of 50% of ever-tobacco and/or ever-alcohol users at highest risk would further enhance efficiency with little loss in program sensitivity (21.7% screened for 19.7% oral cancer mortality reduction at NNS = 610). CONCLUSION: In the Kerala trial, the efficacy of oral cancer screening was greatest in individuals at highest oral cancer risk. These results provide proof of principle that risk-based oral cancer screening could substantially enhance the efficiency of screening programs.
Effects of an “Active-Workstation” Cluster RCT on Daily Waking Physical Behaviors
Authors: ARGUELLO DIEGO , THORNDIKE ANNE N. , CLOUTIER GREGORY , MORTON ALVIN , CASTANEDA-SCEPPA CARMEN , JOHN DINESH 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACT

Purpose
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of sit-to-stand and treadmill desks on sedentary behavior during a 12-month, cluster-randomized multicomponent intervention with an intent-to-treat design in overweight office workers.

Methods
Sixty-six office workers were cluster-randomized into a control (n = 21; 8 clusters), sit-to-stand desk (n = 23; 9 clusters), or treadmill desk (n = 22; 7 clusters) group. Participants wore an activPAL™ accelerometer for 7 d at baseline, month 3, month 6, and month 12 and received periodic feedback on their physical behaviors. The primary outcome was total daily sedentary time. Exploratory outcomes included total daily and workplace sedentary, standing and stepping time, and the number of total daily and workplace sedentary, standing, and stepping bouts. Intervention effects were analyzed using random-intercept mixed linear models accounting for repeated measures and clustering effects.

Results
Total daily sedentary time did not significantly differ between or within groups after 12 months. Month 3 gains were observed in total daily and workplace standing time in both intervention groups (sit-to-stand desk: mean Δ ± SD, 1.03 ± 1.9 h·d−1 and 1.10 ± 1.87 h at work; treadmill desk: mean Δ ± SD, 1.23 ± 2.25 h·d−1 and 1.44 ± 2.54 h at work). At month 3, the treadmill desk users stepped more at the workplace than the control group (mean Δ ± SD, 0.69 ± 0.87 h). Month 6 gains in total daily stepping were observed within the sit-to-stand desk group (mean Δ ± SD, 0.82 ± 1.62 h·d−1), and month 3 gains in stepping at the workplace were observed for the treadmill desk group (mean Δ ± SD, 0.77 ± 0.83 h). These trends were sustained through month 12 in only the sit-to-stand desk group.

Conclusions
Active-workstation interventions may cause short-term improvements in daily standing and stepping. Treadmill desk users engaged in fewer sedentary bouts, but sit-to-stand desks resulted in more frequent transitions to upright physical behaviors.
In Vivo Visualization of Tissue Damage Induced by Percutaneous Muscle Biopsy via Novel High-Resolution MR Imaging
Authors: PREISNER FABIAN , FRIEDMANN-BETTE BIRGIT , WEHRSTEIN MICHAELA , VOLLHERBST DOMINIK FRANZ-JOSEF , HEILAND SABINE , BENDSZUS MARTIN , HILGENFELD TIM 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACT

Purpose
Percutaneous muscle biopsy is the gold standard for tissue assessment in clinical practice and scientific studies. The aim of this study was to assess and quantify the ensuing tissue damage by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods
In this prospective study, we enrolled 22 healthy participants who underwent MRI of the thigh musculature about 1 wk after a percutaneous muscle biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle. A total of 17 participants also volunteered for a second MR examination 2 wk after biopsy. Volumes of susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) lesions and muscle edema were assessed by SWI and T2-weighted MRI, respectively, after manual segmentation by two independent readers. For quantitative in vivo hematoma volume assessment, we additionally determined signal changes induced by experimental hematoma in an ex vivo model.

Results
Mean overall volume of SWI lesions 1 wk after biopsy was 26.5 ± 21.7 μL, accompanied by a mean perifocal edema volume of 790.1 ± 591.4 μL. In participants who underwent two examinations, mean volume of SWI lesions slightly decreased from 29.8 ± 23.6 to 23.9 ± 16.8 μL within 1 wk (P = 0.13). Muscle edema volume decreased from 820.2 ± 632.4 to 359.6 ± 207.3 μL at the same time (P = 0.006). By calibration with the ex vivo findings, signal alterations on SWI corresponded to a blood volume of approximately 10–50 μL.

Conclusions
Intramuscular hematoma and accompanying muscle edema after percutaneous biopsy are small and decrease rapidly within the first 2 wk. These in vivo findings underline the limited invasiveness of the procedure.
Sex Difference in Hip Adduction during the Stance Phase of Running: A Swing Phase Problem?
Authors: LIU JIA , SALEM GEORGE J. , POWERS CHRISTOPHER M. 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACT

Purpose
The purpose of the current study was 1) to evaluate sex differences in peak hip adduction during the late swing and stance phases of running and 2) to determine whether peak hip adduction during late swing is predictive of peak hip adduction during stance.

Methods
A total of 15 female and 16 male heel strike runners ran over ground at a speed of 4 m·s−1. Hip joint kinematics during running were quantified using a 3D motion capture system. Sex differences in peak hip adduction during the late swing and stance phases were compared using independent-samples t-tests. Linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between late swing and stance phase hip adduction.

Results
Compared with males, females exhibited significantly greater peak hip adduction during both the late swing (8.5° ± 2.6° vs 6.1° ± 2.8°, P = 0.019) and the stance phases of running (13.3° ± 4.2° vs 9.6° ± 3.4°, P = 0.011). Furthermore, late swing peak hip adduction was predictive of subsequent stance phase peak hip adduction (r = 0.63, P < 0.001).

Conclusion
Sex differences in hip adduction during stance are influenced in part by late swing phase hip adduction. Further studies are needed to identify potential causes of excessive hip adduction during the late swing phase of running.
Forecasting eco-evolutionary dynamics in the Northern Blue butterfly (Lycaeides idas)
Authors: Gompert Zachariah , Lucas Lauren 
Published: January 2021

Natural selection can drive rapid evolutionary change, particularly in human-altered habitats. Rapid adaptation to global change requires standing genetic variation for ecologically important traits, but at present little is known about how much relevant genetic variation most populations possess. With this in mind, we began a long term study of genome-wide molecular evolution in a series of natural butterfly populations in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) in 2012 to quantify the contribution of environment-dependent natural selection to evolution in these butterfly populations, and determine whether selection varies enough across space and time to maintain variation that could facilitate adaptation to global change. In 2018, we visited 11 focal populations to collect samples for DNA, estimate population sizes (using distance sampling and mark-release-recapture methods), and survey arthropod communities at the sites. Our analyses are ongoing, and this is a preliminary report, but thus far we have found that census population sizes are much higher than contemporary effective population sizes (though these metrics are highly correlated), and that both are independent of genetic diversity levels. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that selection plays a central role in eco-evolutionary dynamics in this system.

Featured photo from Figure 1 in report.