bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Utilization of point-of-care tests among general practitioners, a cross-sectional study
Authors: Oehme Ricarda , Sandholzer-Yilmaz Angelika Sabine , Heise Marcus , Frese Thomas , Fankhaenel Thomas 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
Point-of-care testing (POCT) has numerous potential benefits to improve health care service, especially in resource-limited settings. We aim to identify which POC-tests (POCTs) of laboratory parameters are known, employed, and rated as useful by general practitioners (GPs).

Methods
A questionnaire with 27 POCTs was posted to a random selection of GPs (n = 451) in Saxony, Germany.

Results
A total of 208 GPs replied (response rate 46.1%). Out of 27 POCTs, each GP knew an average of 20.3 as laboratory parameters and 9.2 as POCTs. Urine test strips (99.0%), blood glucose test (98.1%), and Troponin I/T (86.4%) were the best-known, followed by INR/Quick (82.5%), Microalbumin (79.1%), and D-dimer (78.6%) POCTs. Yet, solely 0 to 13 POC tests were actually used (mean value 4.6). Urine test strips were employed most frequently (97.6%), followed by blood glucose test (94.7%), Troponin I/T (57.8%), Microalbumin (57.3%), and INR/Quick POCTs (41.7%). Heart fatty binding protein (H-FABP), Syphilis, Coeliac disease, and Malaria appeared as the least frequently used POCTs. The majority of the GPs declared 14 of the 27 POCTs to be useful.

Discussion/conclusion
The most recurrently employed POCTs are those for diagnosing or monitoring diabetes mellitus, ensued by POCTs addressing acute cardiovascular diseases (Troponin I/T, D-dimer) or monitoring the therapy of infectious diseases or the anticoagulant therapy. POCTs most often rated as useful by GPs are also widely known and frequently used. Nonetheless, the majority of GPs rate only a very limited number of POCTs as useful. Frequent concerns might be low economic benefit, over-reliance, and test accuracy coming along with the complex implementation of the tests requiring technical skills, accurate storage, and the correct interpretation of test results.

Trial registration
In accordance with the (Model) Professional Code for Physicians in Germany, neither human body materials nor data that can be assigned to a specific human being are used in our study. A declaration of no objection from the Ethics Committee of the Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Medical Faculty) confirms no professional or ethical concerns due to completely anonymized data collection and analysis. Our study was therefore not registered in a corresponding registry.
Failure of alemtuzumab therapy in three patients with MOG antibody associated disease
Authors: Seneviratne Sinali O. , Marriott Mark , Ramanathan Sudarshini , Yeh Wei , Brilot-Turville Fabienne , Butzkueven Helmut , Monif Mastura 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is most classically associated in both children and adults with phenotypes including bilateral and recurrent optic neuritis (ON) and transverse myelitis (TM), with the absence of brain lesions characteristic of multiple sclerosis (MS). ADEM phenotype is the most common presentation of MOGAD in children. However, the presence of clinical phenotypes including unilateral ON and short TM in some patients with MOGAD may lead to their misdiagnosis as MS. Thus, clinically and radiologically, MOGAD can mimic MS and clinical vigilance is required for accurate diagnostic workup.

Case presentation
We present three cases initially diagnosed as MS and then treated with alemtuzumab. Unexpectedly, all three patients did quite poorly on this medication, with a decline in their clinical status with worsening of expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and an increasing lesion load on magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. Subsequently, all three cases were found to have anti-MOG antibody in their serum.

Conclusions
These cases highlight that if a patient suspected to have MS does not respond to conventional treatments such as alemtuzumab, a search for alternative diagnoses such as MOG antibody disease may be warranted.
Biweekly oxaliplatin plus S1 for Chinese elderly patients with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer as the first-line therapy: a single-arm, phase 2 study
Authors: Jiang Zhichao , Zhou Aiping , Sun Yongkun , Zhang Wen 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
SOX (oxaliplatin and S1, every 3 weeks) is one of the most common first-line chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic G/GEJ (gastric or gastroesophageal junction) cancer in Asia, but it has noticeable hematological and neurological toxicity. In China, the majority of gastric cancer patients are middle-aged and elderly with poor tolerance to 3-weekly chemotherapy. Therefore, we aimed to assess efficacy and safety of biweekly SOX for Chinese advanced G/GEJ cancer patients aged ≥ 60 years as the first-line treatment in a single arm phase 2 study.

Methods
Oxaliplatin was administered intravenously on day 1 at 85 mg/m2. S-1 was given at 80, 100 or 120 mg/day, depending on the body surface area (< 1.25 m2, 1.25 to < 1.5 m2, or ≥ 1.5 m2), twice daily, on day 1–10, every 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR), and the secondary endpoints included progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DOR) and safety.

Results
Between May 2016 and Sep 2018, 42 patients were enrolled. The median follow-up was 43.6 months. The ORR and DCR were 52.4% and 85.7%, respectively. The median PFS was 4.6 months (95%CI 2.486–6.714), and the median OS was 11.1 months (95%CI 8.001–14.199). The most common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of any grade included thrombocytopenia (59.5%), neutropenia (57.1%), appetite loss (57.1%) and nausea (54.8%). Only two patients suffered from grade 3 TRAEs (4.8%), including neutropenia (1 patient, [2.4%]) and diarrhea (1 patient, [2.4%]). No ≥ grade 4 TRAEs occurred.

Conclusions
Biweekly SOX seemed to have favorable tolerance without compromising the efficacy as the first-line therapy in Chinese elderly patients aged ≥ 60 years with advanced G/GEJ cancer.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04694404 (5/1/2021). This study was approved by the Ethical Committee of National Cancer Center/ National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/ Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, (17–048/1303).
The impact of stigma on HIV testing decisions for gay, bisexual, queer and other men who have sex with men: a qualitative study
Authors: Iott Bradley E. , Loveluck Jimena , Benton Akilah , Golson Leon , Kahle Erin , Lam Jason , Bauermeister José A. , Veinot Tiffany C. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
Stigmatization may prompt gay, bisexual, queer and other men who have sex with men (GBQMSM) to avoid or delay HIV testing. There has been little attention to GBQMSMs’ perspectives about how stigma may influence their decisions about whether, where, and how often to get tested for HIV.

Methods
We conducted nine focus groups with 64 adult GBQMSM in Metropolitan Detroit, including HIV-negative men and people living with HIV (PLWH). Data were thematically analyzed deductively and inductively in three rounds.

Results
Three themes emerged regarding whether to get tested: (1) Perceived promiscuity, risk perceptions and HIV testing; (2) Fearing sexual rejection; and (3) Fearing friend and family member distancing and rejection. Themes concerning where to get tested included: (4) Conflating HIV testing and diagnosis; and (5) Seeking privacy and safety at specialized services. As for how often to get tested, themes included: (6) Reducing contact with healthcare providers due to intersectional stigma; (7) Responsibility and regular testing; and (8) HIV stigma and testing as routine care. Black participants articulated themes (3), (4), and (6) with greater frequency than other participants. Framing HIV testing as a personal responsibility may have created a “new stigma,” with unintended consequences not observed with “routine healthcare” messaging.

Conclusions
GBQMSMs’ perspectives indicate the potential for new foci for HIV testing promotion interventions based on stigma-related issues that they deem important. There is a need for interventions to challenge the “promiscuity” stereotype, and to reduce the sexual stigmatization of GBQMSM living with HIV/AIDS—especially online. Provider stigma requires both intervention and continued availability of specialized services. Future stigma-reduction interventions for Black GBQMSM could focus on building family support/acceptance, awareness of multiple testing options, and integrating LGBTQ-related issues into initiatives for racial justice in health care.
Factors associated with willingness to use oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in a fisher-folk community in peri-urban Kampala, Uganda
Authors: Ssuna Bashir , Katahoire Anne , Armstrong-Hough Mari , Kalibbala Dennis , Kalyango Joan N. , Kiweewa Flavia Matovu 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in key populations at elevated risk for exposure to HIV. If used effectively, PrEP can reduce annual HIV incidence to below 0.05%. However, PrEP is not acceptable among all communities that might benefit from it. There is, therefore, a need to understand perceptions of PrEP and factors associated with willingness to use PrEP among key populations at risk of HIV, such as members of communities with exceptionally high HIV prevalence.

Objective
To examine the perceptions and factors associated with willingness to use oral PrEP among members of fishing communities in Uganda, a key population at risk of HIV.

Methods
We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study at Ggaba fishing community from February to June 2019. Survey data were collected from a systematic random sample of 283 community members in which PrEP had not been rolled out yet by the time of we conducted the study. We carried out bivariate tests of association of willingness to use PrEP with demographic characteristics, HIV risk perception, HIV testing history. We estimated prevalence ratios for willingness to use PrEP. We used backward elimination to build a multivariable modified Poisson regression model to describe factors associated with willingness to use PrEP. We purposively selected 16 participants for focus group discussions to contextualize survey findings, analysing data inductively and identifying emergent themes related to perceptions of PrEP.

Key results
We enrolled 283 participants with a mean age of 31 ± 8 years. Most (80.9%) were male. The majority of participants had tested for HIV in their lifetime, but 64% had not tested in the past 6 months. Self-reported HIV prevalence was 6.4%. Most (80.6, 95%CI 75.5–85.0) were willing in principle to use PrEP. Willingness to use PrEP was associated with perceiving oneself to be at high risk of HIV (aPR 1.99, 95%CI 1.31–3.02, P = 0.001), having tested for HIV in the past 6-months (aPR 1.13, 95%CI 1.03–1.24, P = 0.007), and completion of tertiary education (aPR 1.97, 95%CI 1.39–2.81, P < 0.001). In focus group discussions, participants described pill burden, side-effects and drug safety as potential barriers to PrEP use.

Conclusions and recommendations
Oral PrEP was widely acceptable among members of fishing communities in peri-urban Kampala. Programs for scaling-up PrEP for fisherfolk should merge HIV testing services with sensitization about PrEP and also increase means of awareness of PrEP as an HIV preventive strategy .
Good validity in the Norwegian Knee Ligament Register: assessment of data quality for key variables in primary and revision cruciate ligament reconstructions from 2004 to 2013
Authors: Midttun Espen , Andersen Morten Torheim , Engebretsen Lars , Visnes Håvard , Fenstad Anne Marie , Gjertsen Jan-Erik , Persson Andreas 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
The Norwegian Knee Ligament Register was founded in 2004 to provide representative and reliable data on cruciate ligament surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of key variables in the Norwegian Knee Ligament Register to reveal and prevent systematic errors or incompleteness, which can lead to biased reports and study conclusions.

Method
We included a stratified cluster sample of 83 patients that had undergone both primary and revision anterior cruciate ligament surgery. A total of 166 medical records were reviewed and compared with their corresponding data in the database of the Norwegian Knee Ligament Register. We assessed the validity of a selection of key variables using medical records as a reference standard to compute the positive predictive values of the register data for the variables.

Results
The positive predictive values for the variables of primary and revision surgery ranged from 92 to 100% and from 39 to 100% with a mean positive predictive value of 99% and 88% respectively. Data on intraoperative findings and surgical details had high positive predictive values, ranging from 91 to 100% for both primary and revision surgery. The positive predictive value for the variable “date of injury” was 92% for primary surgeries but only 39% for revision surgeries. The positive predictive value for “activity at the time of injury” was 99% for primary surgeries and 52% for revisions.

Conclusion
Overall, the data quality of the key variables examined in the Norwegian Knee Ligament Register was high, making the register a valid source for research.
Qualitative inquiry into adolescents’ experience of ethical challenges during enrollment and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Temeke Regional Referral Hospital, Tanzania
Authors: Joseph Renatha Sillo , Mahiti Gladys Reuben , Frumence Gasto , Ulrich Connie M. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundAdolescents living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) experience challenges, including lack of involvement in their care as well nondisclosure of HIV status, which leads to poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Parents have authority over their children, but during adolescence there is an increasing desire for independence. The aim of the study was to explore adolescents’ experience of challenges identified by adolescents ages 10–19 years attending HIV care and treatment at Temeke Regional Referral Hospital in Tanzania.MethodsAn exploratory descriptive qualitative design was employed in the HIV Care and Treatment Centre (CTC) in the Out-Patient Department at the Temeke Regional Referral Hospital in Tanzania with adolescents living with HIV who were 10–19 years of age. A total of 22 adolescents participated in semi-structured face-to-face interviews after parental consent and adolescent assent were obtained. Participants were interviewed about their participation in decisions to be tested for HIV and enrolled in the CTC, concerns surrounding disclosure of their HIV status to the adolescent or to others, stigma and discrimination, and the effect of these challenges on their adherence to medication. All interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim in Swahili, and back-translated to English. Data analysis included both inductive and deductive thematic analysis.ResultsQualitative themes identified included lack of participation in decisions about HIV testing, challenges to enrollment in care and treatment; issues around disclosure of HIV status, such as delays in disclosure to the adolescent and disclosure to other persons and benefits and harms of such disclosures; and factors supporting and interfering with adherence to ART, such as parental support, organizational (clinic) support and problems, and self-stigmatization and shame.ConclusionLack of adolescents’ involvement in their care decision making and delayed disclosure of HIV status to the adolescent were identified concerns, leading to poor adherence to ART among adolescents. Disclosure to others, especially teachers, helped adolescents at school to take their medication properly. Disclosure to others led to stigma and discrimination for some adolescents. More research is needed to better understand the role of disclosure and its benefits and challenges for HIV-positive adolescents in Tanzania.
Diurnal and circadian rhythmicity of the human blood transcriptome overlaps with organ- and tissue-specific expression of a non-human primate
Authors: Möller-Levet Carla S. , Laing Emma E. , Archer Simon N. , Dijk Derk-Jan 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundTwenty-four-hour rhythmicity in mammalian tissues and organs is driven by local circadian oscillators, systemic factors, the central circadian pacemaker and light-dark cycles. At the physiological level, the neural and endocrine systems synchronise gene expression in peripheral tissues and organs to the 24-h-day cycle, and disruption of such regulation has been shown to lead to pathological conditions. Thus, monitoring rhythmicity in tissues/organs holds promise for circadian medicine; however, most tissues and organs are not easily accessible in humans and alternative approaches to quantify circadian rhythmicity are needed. We investigated the overlap between rhythmic transcripts in human blood and transcripts shown to be rhythmic in 64 tissues/organs of the baboon, how these rhythms are aligned with light-dark cycles and each other, and whether timing of tissue-specific rhythmicity can be predicted from a blood sample.ResultsWe compared rhythmicity in transcriptomic time series collected from humans and baboons using set logic, circular cross-correlation, circular clustering, functional enrichment analyses, and least squares regression. Of the 759 orthologous genes that were rhythmic in human blood, 652 (86%) were also rhythmic in at least one baboon tissue and most of these genes were associated with basic processes such as transcription and protein homeostasis. In total, 109 (17%) of the 652 overlapping rhythmic genes were reported as rhythmic in only one baboon tissue or organ and several of these genes have tissue/organ-specific functions. The timing of human and baboon rhythmic transcripts displayed prominent ‘night’ and ‘day’ clusters, with genes in the dark cluster associated with translation. Alignment between baboon rhythmic transcriptomes and the overlapping human blood transcriptome was significantly closer when light onset, rather than midpoint of light, or end of light period, was used as phase reference point. The timing of overlapping human and baboon rhythmic transcriptomes was significantly correlated in 25 tissue/organs with an average earlier timing of 3.21 h (SD 2.47 h) in human blood.ConclusionsThe human blood transcriptome contains sets of rhythmic genes that overlap with rhythmic genes of tissues/organs in baboon. The rhythmic sets vary across tissues/organs, but the timing of most rhythmic genes is similar in human blood and baboon tissues/organs. These results have implications for development of blood transcriptome-based biomarkers for circadian rhythmicity in tissues and organs.
Detection of chicken DNA in commercial dog foods
Authors: Biel Wioletta , Natonek-Wiśniewska Małgorzata , Kępińska-Pacelik Jagoda , Kazimierska Katarzyna , Czerniawska-Piątkowska Ewa , Krzyścin Piotr 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundThese days the number of potential food allergens is very large, but chicken is one of the most common allergens in dogs. Elimination diet is one of the clinical tools for the diagnosis of allergies and allergy tests are not very reliable. The restriction diet is most commonly carried out by feeding pet foods, relying on the ingredients on the label to select an elimination diet not containing previously eaten foods. Unfortunately, mislabeling of pet food is quite common. The purpose of this study was to determine the absence or presence of chicken DNA using both qualitative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis methods in dry and wet maintenance complete pet foods for adult dogs. Results were used to verify the declared composition on the labels.ResultsEleven out of fifteen (73%) dog foods were produced as declared by the manufacturer, two of which showed the presence of chicken protein as stated on the label. The remaining nine foods contained amounts of chicken DNA below 1%, consistent with declarations that no chicken was added in the composition. Four of tested dog foods (27%) were not produced consistently with the declaration on the packaging. Two dog foods (one dry and one wet) did not contain the claimed chicken protein. In two foods the addition of chicken DNA was detected at the level of over 2% and almost 6%, respectively.ConclusionsIn this study, we focused on one of the most commonly undeclared animal species on the label—chicken protein—and performed DNA analyzes to investigate possible contamination and mislabeling. The results showed some inaccuracies. However, most of them are trace amounts below 1%, which proves compliance with the label. Our results showed that undeclared animal species can be as common as missing an animal protein declared on the label. The conducted research indicates that both dry and wet analyzed foods should not be recommended as a diagnostic tool in elimination tests, because it may result in false negative results. Over-the-counter maintenance foods for dogs should not be recommended for the diagnosis and treatment of food hypersensitivity.
Overexpression of mGDH in Gluconobacter oxydans to improve d-xylonic acid production from corn stover hydrolysate
Authors: Mao Xinlei , Zhang Baoqi , Zhao Chenxiu , Lin Jinping , Wei Dongzhi 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Background
d-Xylonic acid is a versatile platform chemical with broad potential applications as a water reducer and disperser for cement and as a precursor for 1,4-butanediol and 1,2,4-tributantriol. Microbial production of d-xylonic acid with bacteria such as Gluconobacter oxydans from inexpensive lignocellulosic feedstock is generally regarded as one of the most promising and cost-effective methods for industrial production. However, high substrate concentrations and hydrolysate inhibitors reduce xylonic acid productivity.

Results
The d-xylonic acid productivity of G. oxydans DSM2003 was improved by overexpressing the mGDH gene, which encodes membrane-bound glucose dehydrogenase. Using the mutated plasmids based on pBBR1MCS-5 in our previous work, the recombinant strain G. oxydans/pBBR-R3510-mGDH was obtained with a significant improvement in d-xylonic acid production and a strengthened tolerance to hydrolysate inhibitors. The fed-batch biotransformation of d-xylose by this recombinant strain reached a high titer (588.7 g/L), yield (99.4%), and volumetric productivity (8.66 g/L/h). Moreover, up to 246.4 g/L d-xylonic acid was produced directly from corn stover hydrolysate without detoxification at a yield of 98.9% and volumetric productivity of 11.2 g/L/h. In addition, G. oxydans/pBBR-R3510-mGDH exhibited a strong tolerance to typical inhibitors, i.e., formic acid, furfural, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

Conclusion
Through overexpressing mgdh in G. oxydans, we obtained the recombinant strain G. oxydans/pBBR-R3510-mGDH, and it was capable of efficiently producing xylonic acid from corn stover hydrolysate under high inhibitor concentrations. The high d-xylonic acid productivity of G. oxydans/pBBR-R3510-mGDH made it an attractive choice for biotechnological production.