bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Molecular detection of respiratory pathogens and typing of human rhinovirus of adults hospitalized for exacerbation of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Ko Fanny Wai-san , Chan Paul Kay-sheung , Chan Renee W. Y. , Chan Ka-Pang , Ip April , Kwok Angela , Ngai Jenny Chun-li , Ng So-Shan , On Chan Tat , Hui David Shu-cheong 
Published: September 2019

Abstract

Background
Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and asthma are associated with a variety of precipitating factors including infection. This study assessed the infective viral etiologies by real-time multiplex polymerase chain reaction of patients hospitalized with AECOPD and asthma exacerbations. In addition, infective etiologies were assessed for association with the clinical outcome of the patients.

Methods
Adults admitted with AECOPD and asthma exacerbations between August 2016 and July 2017 were recruited. Nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) samples were obtained from the patients within 1–2 days of admission and subjected to pathogen detection and human rhinovirus (HRV) typing.

Results
Altogether 402 patients with AECOPD, 80 stable COPD, 100 asthma exacerbation and 21 stable asthma subjects were recruited. Among those admitted for AECOPD and asthma exacerbations, 141(35.1%) and 45(45.0%) respectively had pathogens identified in the NPA specimens. The commonest virus identified was influenza A followed by HRV. HRV typing identified HRV-A and HRV-C as the more common HRV with a wide variety of genotypes. Identification of pathogens in NPA or HRV typing otherwise did not affect clinical outcomes including the hospital length of stay, readmission rates and mortality except that identification of pathogens in asthma exacerbation was associated with a lower rate of readmissions at 30 and 60 days.

Conclusions
Many respiratory viruses were associated with AECOPD and asthma exacerbation. HRV-A and HRV-C were the more common HRV associated with exacerbations. Identification of pathogens in NPA was associated with less readmissions for asthma patients at 30 and 60 days.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02866357.
Heart defibrillation: relationship between pacing threshold and defibrillation probability
Authors: Antoneli Priscila C. , Goulart Jair T. , Bonilha Isabella , de Carvalho Daniela D. , de Oliveira Pedro X. 
Published: September 2019

Abstract

Background
Considering the clinical importance of the ventricular fibrillation and that the most used therapy to reverse it has a critical side effect on the cardiac tissue, it is desirable to optimize defibrillation parameters to increase its efficiency. In this study, we investigated the influence of stimuli duration on the relationship between pacing threshold and defibrillation probability.

Results
We found out that 0.5-ms-long pulses had a lower ratio of defibrillation probability to the pacing threshold, although the higher the pulse duration the lower is the electric field intensity required to defibrillate the hearts.

Conclusion
The appropriate choice of defibrillatory shock parameters is able to increase the efficiency of the defibrillation improving the survival chances after the occurrence of a severe arrhythmia. The relationship between pulse duration and the probability of reversal of fibrillation shows that this parameter cannot be underestimated in defibrillator design since different pulse durations have different levels of safety.
Comparison of efficacy of robotic surgery, laparoscopy, and laparotomy in the treatment of ovarian cancer: a meta-analysis
Authors: Shi Can , Gao Yingchun , Yang Yijun , Zhang Lei , Yu Juanpeng , Zhang Ting 
Published: September 2019

Abstract

Background
We intended to compare the clinical effect of robotic surgery with laparoscopy and laparotomy in ovarian cancer treatment.

Methods
The included studies were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases. The Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies (MINORS) was used to evaluate the study quality. Effect measures were presented with weighted mean difference (WMD)/odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), and heterogeneity test was assessed using Q test and I2 statistics to determine the use of the random effects model or fixed effects model. Egger’s test was used to assess the publication bias.

Results
A total of eight studies was included in this meta-analysis with a MINORS score of 16–18. In the random effects model, estimated blood loss (EBL) of robotic surgery was significantly less compared with laparotomy (WMD = − 521.7027, 95% CI − 809.7816; − 233.6238). In the fixed effects model, length of hospital stay (LHS) (WMD = − 5.2225, 95% CI − 6.1485; − 4.2965) and postoperative complication (PC) (OR = 0.4710, 95% CI 0.2537; 0.8747) of robotic surgery were significantly less, and overall survival (OS) rate (OR = 6.4355, 95% CI 1.6722; 24.7678, P = 0.0070) of robotic surgery was significantly higher compared with laparotomy. There was no difference in the effect size of all variables between robotic surgery and laparoscopy. Meanwhile, a publication bias (t = 6.8290, P = 0.002405) was only identified for PC in robotic surgery and laparotomy groups; no publication bias was identified for the other variables.

Conclusions
Despite the above results, it failed to show oncological safety and recurrence by pathological stages or histologic types in this meta-analysis, and those confounding factors might affect the clinical outcome. Future meta-analyses with a larger number of eligible randomized controlled trial studies were needed to determine the most suitable treatment method for patients with different stages and types of ovarian cancer.
Prevalence and patterns of cigarette smoking before and during early and late pregnancy according to maternal characteristics: the first national data based on the 2003 birth certificate revision, United States, 2016
Authors: Kondracki Anthony J. 
Published: September 2019

Abstract

Background
The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of smoking by intensity status before pregnancy and during early (first and second trimester) and late (third trimester) pregnancy according to race/ethnicity, age, and educational attainment of women who gave birth in the United States in 2016.

Methods
This cross-sectional study was based on the 2016 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Natality File of 3,956,112 live births, the first year that it became 100% nationally representative. Self-reported smoking data were used to create new seven smoking intensity status categories to capture natural variability in smoking patterns during pregnancy and to identify maternal smokers by race/ethnicity, age, and educational attainment. The risk of smoking at low and high intensity in early pregnancy was estimated in multivariable logistic regression analyses.

Results
Nearly 9.4% of women reported smoking before pregnancy and 7.1% during pregnancy, both at high and low intensity, and smoking rates were higher in the first trimester (7.1%) than in the second (6.1%) or the third (5.7%) trimester. Non-Hispanic White women, women 20–24 years old, and women with less than a high school education were the strongest predictors of smoking anytime during pregnancy. The odds of smoking in early pregnancy at high intensity were 88% lower (aOR 0.12, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.13) for Hispanic women, compared to non-Hispanic White women; 16% higher (aOR 1.16, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.21) for women 20–24 years old and 16% lower (aOR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.80, 0.89) for women ≥35 years old, compared to women 25–29 years old; as well as 13% higher (aOR 1.13, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.18) for women with less than a high school education and 92% lower (aOR 0.08, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.09) for women with a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to women with a high school diploma.

Conclusions
Despite the high prevalence of high intensity smoking before and during pregnancy, future intervention strategies need to focus on the proportion of low intensity quitters and reducers, who are ready to stop smoking. Continual monitoring of trends in smoking intensity patterns is necessary, including neonatal outcomes over time.
Gene expression vs. sequence divergence: comparative transcriptome sequencing among natural Rhinolophus ferrumequinum populations with different acoustic phenotypes
Authors: Zhao Hanbo , Wang Hui , Liu Tong , Liu Sen , Jin Longru , Huang Xiaobin , Dai Wentao , Sun Keping , Feng Jiang 
Published: September 2019

Abstract

Background
Although the sensory drive hypothesis can explain the geographic variation in echolocation frequencies of some bat species, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are still unclear. The three lineages of greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in China (northeast, central-east, and southwest) have significant geographic variation in resting frequencies (RF) of echolocation calls. Because their cochleae have an acoustic fovea that is highly sensitive to a narrow range of frequencies, we reported the transcriptomes of cochleae collected from three genetic lineages of R. ferrumequinum, which is an ideal organism for studying geographic variation in echolocation signals, and tried to understand the mechanisms behind this bat phenomenon by analyzing gene expression and sequence variation.

Results
A total of 8190 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. We identified five modules from all DEGs that were significantly related to RF or forearm length (FL). DEGs in the RF-related modules were significantly enriched in the gene categories involved in neural activity, learning, and response to sound. DEGs in the FL-related modules were significantly enriched in the pathways related to muscle and actin functions. Using 21,945 single nucleotide polymorphisms, we identified 18 candidate unigenes associated with hearing, five of which were differentially expressed among the three populations. Additionally, the gene ERBB4, which regulates diverse cellular processes in the inner ear such as cell proliferation and differentiation, was in the largest module. We also found 49 unigenes that were under positive selection from 4105 one-to-one orthologous gene pairs between the three R. ferrumequinum lineages and three other Chiroptera species.

Conclusions
The variability of gene expression and sequence divergence at the molecular level might provide evidence that can help elucidate the genetic basis of geographic variation in echolocation signals of greater horseshoe bats.
Alcohol consumption and its interaction with genetic variants are strongly associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Yu Hairong , Wang Tao , Zhang Rong , Yan Jing , Jiang Feng , Li Shanshan , Jia Weiping , Hu Cheng 
Published: September 2019

Abstract

Background
Both genetic and lifestyle factors contribute to the incidence of type 2 diabetes. It yet remains controversial whether and how alcohol consumption, one of the most prevalent lifestyle habits, influences type 2 diabetes. Moreover, whether alcohol consumption interacts with genetic risk is inconclusive. Thus, we aimed to explore the effects of alcohol, genetic risk and their potential interactions on type 2 diabetes risk.

Methods
The Shanghai Diabetes study (SHDS) had a total of 2546 participants with 611 incident cases of combined type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose regulation (IGR). We constructed weighted genetic risk score (GRS) for type 2 diabetes and categorized the GRS into three strata. And the homeostatic model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-B) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were calculated. Then we used logistic regression models and multiple linear regression models to examine the influence of both baseline alcohol consumption and genetic risk on blood glucose deterioration, insulin resistance (IR) and beta cell function (BC), respectively. Moreover, we investigated the interactions of alcohol intake with: (1) GRSs for type 2 diabetes, IR, BC, body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR); and (2) each of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) used to establish the GRSs mentioned above.

Results
Alcohol consumption and higher T2D-GRS both contributed to a higher incidence rate of blood glucose deterioration [odds ratio (OR), 2.24, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.76–2.87; OR, 1.25, 95% CI, 1.11–1.42; respectively]. Alcohol reduced insulin sensitivity and compensated by enhancing beta cell function (β = 1.98, P < .0001 and β = − 1.97, P < .0001 for HOMA-IR and inverse HOMA-β, respectively). T2D-GRS deteriorated insulin secretion (β = 0.10, P = 0.0069 for inverse HOMA-B) but not insulin sensitivity (P = 0.0856). Moreover, there was a significant interaction between alcohol and T2D-GRS (Pinteraction = 0.0318), suggesting the association between alcohol and type 2 diabetes was much stronger in the lower T2D-GRS group than in the higher T2D-GRS group. And this interaction was more pronounced in men (Pinteraction = 0.0176) than in women (Pinteraction = 0.3285). No single SNP interacted strongly with alcohol intake.

Conclusions/interpretation
Alcohol consumption strongly increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by increasing IR, especially in men with low T2D-GRS, highlighting the importance of refraining from drinking alcohol when making recommendations for healthy lifestyle habits to prevent diabetes.
Safety and efficacy of fiducial marker implantation for robotic stereotactic body radiation therapy with fiducial tracking
Authors: Scher Nathaniel , Bollet Marc , Bouilhol Gauthier , Tannouri Remi , Khemiri Imane , Vouillaume Aurelie , Sellami Noura , Von Eyben Rie , Vannetzel Jean-Michel , Darmon Ilan , Rotenberg Luc , Lamallem Hanah , Bauduceau Olivier , Foster Denis , Toledano Alain 
Published: September 2019

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility, efficacy and toxicity of fiducial marker implantation and tracking in CyberKnife® stereotactic radiation therapy (SBRT) applied to extracranial locations.

Materials and method
This is a retrospective, single-centre, observational study to collect the data of all patients treated by stereotactic radiation therapy with fiducial marker tracking at extracranial locations, conducted between June 2014 and November 2017. Information regarding the implantation procedure, the types of toxicity related to marker implantation and the number of markers implanted/tracked during treatment were collected. Complication rates were evaluated using the CTCAE v4 [Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events] scale. The technical success rate was based on the ability to optimally track the tumor throughout all treatment fractions.

Results
Out of 2505 patients treated by stereotactic radiation therapy, 25% received treatment with fiducial marker tracking. The total number of implantation procedures was 616 and 1543 fiducial markers were implanted. The implantation-related complication rate was 3%, with 16 Grade 1 events and 4 Grade 2 events. The number of treated patients and the number of implanted markers has gradually increased since the technique was first implemented. The median treatment time was 27 min (range 10–76). 1295 fiducials were effectively tracked throughout all treatment fractions, corresponding to a technical success rate of 84%. The difference between the number of fiducials implanted and those tracked during treatment decreased significantly as the site’s experience increased.

Conclusion
Fiducial marker implantation and tracking is feasible, well-tolerated, and technically effective technique in SBRT for extracranial tumors.
Fecal medicines used in traditional medical system of China: a systematic review of their names, original species, traditional uses, and modern investigations
Authors: Du Huan , Kuang Ting-ting , Qiu Shuang , Xu Tong , Gang Huan Chen-Lei , Fan Gang , Zhang Yi 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
In China, the medical use of fecal matter (fresh fecal suspension or dry feces) can be dated back to the fourth century, approximately 1700 years ago. In long-term clinical practice, Chinese doctors have accumulated unique and invaluable medical experience in the use of fecal materials. In view of their good curative effect and medicinal potential, fecal medicines should be paid much attention. This study aimed to provide the first comprehensive data compilation of fecal medicines used in various Chinese traditional medical systems by bibliographic investigation of 31 medicine monographs and standards. A total of 54 fecal medicines were found to be used in 14 traditional Chinese medical systems. Their names, original species, medicinal forms, and traditional uses were described in detail. These fecal medicines were commonly used to treat gastrointestinal, nervous system, skin, and gynecological diseases. Commonly used fecal medicines include Wu-Ling-Zhi, Jiu-Fen and Hei-Bing-Pian. The information summarized in this study can provide a good reference for the development and utilization of fecal medicines. Further studies are necessary to prove their medicinal value, identify their active ingredients, and elucidate their mechanisms of action so that more people can accept these special medicines.
Zebrafish modeling reveals that SPINT1 regulates the aggressiveness of skin cutaneous melanoma and its crosstalk with tumor immune microenvironment
Authors: Gómez-Abenza Elena , Ibáñez-Molero Sofía , García-Moreno Diana , Fuentes Inmaculada , Zon Leonard I. , Mione Maria C. , Cayuela María L. , Gabellini Chiara , Mulero Victoriano 
Published: September 2019

Abstract

Background
Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is the most lethal form of skin cancer and while incidence rates are declining for most cancers, they have been steadily rising for SKCM. Serine protease inhibitor, kunitz-type, 1 (SPINT1) is a type II transmembrane serine protease inhibitor that has been shown to be involved in the development of several types of cancer, such as squamous cell carcinoma and colorectal cancer.

Methods
We used the unique advantages of the zebrafish to model the impact of Spint1a deficiency in early transformation, progression and metastatic invasion of SKCM together with in silico analysis of the occurrence and relevance of SPINT1 genetic alterations of the SKCM TCGA cohort.

Results
We report here a high prevalence of SPINT1 genetic alterations in SKCM patients and their association with altered tumor immune microenvironment and poor patient survival. The zebrafish model reveals that Spint1a deficiency facilitates oncogenic transformation, regulates the tumor immune microenvironment crosstalk, accelerates the onset of SKCM and promotes metastatic invasion. Notably, Spint1a deficiency is required at both cell autonomous and non-autonomous levels to enhance invasiveness of SKCM.

Conclusions
These results reveal a novel therapeutic target for SKCM.
Iron and leukemia: new insights for future treatments
Authors: Wang Fang , Lv Huanhuan , Zhao Bin , Zhou Liangfu , Wang Shenghang , Luo Jie , Liu Junyu , Shang Peng 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Iron, an indispensable element for life, is involved in all kinds of important physiological activities. Iron promotes cell growth and proliferation, but it also causes oxidative stress damage. The body has a strict regulation mechanism of iron metabolism due to its potential toxicity. As a cancer of the bone marrow and blood cells, leukemia threatens human health seriously. Current studies suggest that dysregulation of iron metabolism and subsequent accumulation of excess iron are closely associated with the occurrence and progress of leukemia. Specifically, excess iron promotes the development of leukemia due to the pro-oxidative nature of iron and its damaging effects on DNA. On the other hand, leukemia cells acquire large amounts of iron to maintain rapid growth and proliferation. Therefore, targeting iron metabolism may provide new insights for approaches to the treatment of leukemia. This review summarizes physiologic iron metabolism, alternations of iron metabolism in leukemia and therapeutic opportunities of targeting the altered iron metabolism in leukemia, with a focus on acute leukemia.
When the levee breaks: a practical guide to sketching algorithms for processing the flood of genomic data
Authors: Rowe Will P. M. 
Published: September 2019

AbstractConsiderable advances in genomics over the past decade have resulted in vast amounts of data being generated and deposited in global archives. The growth of these archives exceeds our ability to process their content, leading to significant analysis bottlenecks. Sketching algorithms produce small, approximate summaries of data and have shown great utility in tackling this flood of genomic data, while using minimal compute resources. This article reviews the current state of the field, focusing on how the algorithms work and how genomicists can utilize them effectively. References to interactive workbooks for explaining concepts and demonstrating workflows are included athttps://github.com/will-rowe/genome-sketching.
“Too much guts and not enough brains”: (epi)genetic mechanisms and future therapies of Hirschsprung disease — a review
Authors: Jaroy Emilie G. , Acosta-Jimenez Lourdes , Hotta Ryo , Goldstein Allan M. , Emblem Ragnhild , Klungland Arne , Ougland Rune 
Published: September 2019

AbstractHirschsprung disease is a neurocristopathy, characterized by aganglionosis in the distal bowel. It is caused by failure of the enteric nervous system progenitors to migrate, proliferate, and differentiate in the gut. Development of an enteric nervous system is a tightly regulated process. Both the neural crest cells and the surrounding environment are regulated by different genes, signaling pathways, and morphogens. For this process to be successful, the timing of gene expression is crucial. Hence, alterations in expression of genes specific for the enteric nervous system may contribute to the pathogenesis of Hirschsprung’s disease. Several epigenetic mechanisms contribute to regulate gene expression, such as modifications of DNA and RNA, histone modifications, and microRNAs. Here, we review the current knowledge of epigenetic and epitranscriptomic regulation in the development of the enteric nervous system and its potential significance for the pathogenesis of Hirschsprung’s disease. We also discuss possible future therapies and how targeting epigenetic and epitranscriptomic mechanisms may open new avenues for novel treatment.
A non-autonomous impulsive food-chain model with delays
Authors: Tian Baodan , Zhang Pengkai , Li Jiamei , Zhang Yong , Yang Liu 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
A non-autonomous almost periodic prey–predator system with impulsive effects and multiple delays is proposed in this paper, Holling’s type-IV systems and ratio-dependent functional responses are also involved in the model. By applying absolute inequalities, integral inequalities, differential inequalities and the mean-value theorem and other mathematical analysis techniques, we obtain some sufficient conditions which guarantee the permanence of the system. Moreover, we obtain the existence and the uniqueness of the almost periodic solution which is uniformly asymptotically stable by constructing a series of Lyapunov functionals. Finally, we present several numerical examples to verify the theoretical results and present some discussions of pest management in the agricultural ecological system.