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1. Analysis of autonomic function during natural defecation in patients with irritable bowel syndrome using real-time recording with a wearable device.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 9

Nakata R, Tanaka F, Sugawara N

2. Inertial imitation method of MMC with hybrid topology for VSC-HVDC.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 9

Wu J, Yin S, Li C

3. Collateral positives of COVID-19 for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Western Sydney, Australia.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 9

Cornell S, Ayre J, Mac O

4. Abnormalities of hippocampus and frontal lobes in heart failure patients and animal models with cognitive impairment or depression: A systematic review.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 9

Lu Z, Teng Y, Wang L

5. Analysis and novel methods for capture of normative eye-tracking data in 2.5-month old infants.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 9

Gharib A, Thompson BL.

6. Integrated survey of helminthic neglected tropical diseases and comparison of two mosquito sampling methods for lymphatic filariasis molecular xenomonitoring in the River Galana area, Kilifi County, coastal Kenya.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 9

Njenga SM, Kanyi HM, Mwatele CM

7. Home bias and employee social responsibility: Identification vs. benefit exchange.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 8

Zhang T, Sun W, Rong X

8. Impacts of a social and behavior change communication program implemented at scale on infant and young feeding practices in Nigeria: Results of a cluster-randomized evaluation.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 8

Flax VL, Fagbemi M, Schnefke CH

BACKGROUND: Infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are important for child survival and healthy growth, but IYCF practices remain suboptimal in Nigeria. The objective of this study was to measure the impact of Alive & Thrive's IYCF social and behavior change communication intervention on early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding, and minimum dietary diversity in Kaduna and Lagos States. METHODS: Local government areas were randomly allocated to intervention or comparison. Cross-sectional surveys of households with children aged 0-23 months were conducted [N = 6,266 baseline (2017), N = 7,320 endline (2020)]. Logistic regression was used to calculate difference-in-differences estimates (DDEs) of impact on IYCF practices and to assess within group changes from baseline to endline. Associations between intervention exposures and IYCF practices were tested in both study groups combined. RESULTS: In Kaduna, a positive differential effect of the intervention was found for exclusive breastfeeding (adjusted DDE 8.9 pp, P<0.099). Increases in both study groups from baseline to endline were observed in Kaduna for early initiation of breastfeeding (intervention 12.2 pp, P = 0.010; comparison 6.4 pp, P = 0.118) and minimum dietary diversity (intervention 20.0 pp, P<0.001; comparison 19.7 pp, P<0.001), which eliminated differential effects. In Lagos, no differential intervention impacts were found on IYCF practices because changes in early initiation of breastfeeding from baseline to endline were small in both study groups and increases in both study groups from baseline to endline were observed for exclusive breastfeeding (intervention 8.9 pp, P = 0.05; comparison 6.6 pp, P<0.001) and minimum dietary diversity (intervention 18.9 pp, P<0.001; comparison 24.3 pp, P<0.001). Odds of all three IYCF practices increased with exposure to facility-based interpersonal communication in both states and with community mobilization or mass media exposure in Kaduna. CONCLUSIONS: This evaluation found weak impacts of the Alive & Thrive intervention on IYCF practices in the difference-in-differences analysis because of suspected intervention spillover to the comparison group. Substantial within group increases in IYCF practices from baseline to endline are likely attributable to the intervention, which was the major IYCF promotion activity in both states. This is supported by the association between intervention exposures and IYCF practices. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02975063).

9. What is the value and impact of the adaptation process on quality indicators for local use? A scoping review.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 8

Zhu S, Wu T, Leese J

10. Three novel bird strike likelihood modelling techniques: The case of Brisbane Airport, Australia.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 8

Andrews R, Bevrani B, Colin B

The risk posed by wildlife to air transportation is of great concern worldwide. In Australia alone, 17,336 bird-strike incidents and 401 animal-strike incidents were reported to the Air Transport Safety Board (ATSB) in the period 2010-2019. Moreover, when collisions do occur, the impact can be catastrophic (loss of life, loss of aircraft) and involve significant cost to the affected airline and airport operator (estimated at globally US$1.2 billion per year). On the other side of the coin, civil aviation, and airport operations have significantly affected bird populations. There has been an increasing number of bird strikes, generally fatal to individual birds involved, reported worldwide (annual average of 12,219 reported strikes between 2008-2015 being nearly double the annual average of 6,702 strikes reported 2001-2007) (ICAO, 2018). Airport operations including construction of airport infrastructure, frequent take-offs and landings, airport noise and lights, and wildlife hazard management practices aimed at reducing risk of birdstrike, e.g., spraying to remove weeds and invertebrates, drainage, and even direct killing of individual hazard species, may result in habitat fragmentation, population decline, and rare bird extinction adjacent to airports (Kelly T, 2006; Zhao B, 2019; Steele WK, 2021). Nevertheless, there remains an imperative to continually improve wildlife hazard management methods and strategies so as to reduce the risk to aircraft and to bird populations. Current approved wildlife risk assessment techniques in Australia are limited to ranking of identified hazard species, i.e., are 'static' and, as such, do not provide a day-to-day risk/collision likelihood. The purpose of this study is to move towards a dynamic, evidence-based risk assessment model of wildlife hazards at airports. Ideally, such a model should be sufficiently sensitive and responsive to changing environmental conditions to be able to inform both short and longer term risk mitigation decisions. Challenges include the identification and quantification of contributory risk factors, and the selection and configuration of modelling technique(s) that meet the aforementioned requirements. In this article we focus on likelihood of bird strike and introduce three distinct, but complementary, assessment techniques, i.e., Algebraic, Bayesian, and Clustering (ABC) for measuring the likelihood of bird strike in the face of constantly changing environmental conditions. The ABC techniques are evaluated using environment and wildlife observations routinely collected by the Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) wildlife hazard management team. Results indicate that each of the techniques meet the requirements of providing dynamic, realistic collision risks in the face of changing environmental conditions.

11. Alzheimer's risk factor FERMT2 promotes the progression of colorectal carcinoma via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and contributes to the negative correlation between Alzheimer and cancer.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 8

Xia W, Gao Z, Jiang X

12. Randomly overlap subarray feeding network to reduce number of phase shifter in 28GHz.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 8

Shadi M, Atlasbaf Z.

Synthesizing antenna arrays for fifth-generation communication technology is the most significant issue in the electromagnetic industry and academia. This paper focused on a comprehensive algorithm for developing a 5G base station antenna array. The suggested algorithm aims to provide a high-gain array antenna with a continuous wide scan angle without a grating lobe, as much as a compact size, low cost, and simplicity of fabrication, especially in the array feeding network system. The best architecture is specified by comparing the array factor of numerous subarray combinations to achieve the grating lobe's minimum level. By considering additional limitations in our approach, such as different subarray symmetric architecture, complex weighting function, minimal number of overlapped elements, and an optimal number of microstrip layers, we improve the specification over previous research and lower the runtime procedure. The proposed method is also used to construct a linear array antenna with 49 radiating elements for a 5G base station antenna operating at 28 GHz. Consequently, the number of phase shifters has been reduced by more than 53%, significantly improving over earlier efforts. Then a hybrid genetic algorithm and a particle swarm optimization technique are applied to determine the optimal values of excitation coefficients to control side lobe level(SLL) and beam scanning. The amplitude and phase step variations are calculated as 0.1 and 1°, respectively. HPBW of 2.8°, gain of 28 dB, scanning up to ± 25° in one direction, and SLL below -24 dB are the electromagnetic properties of the designed aperiodic linear array. An example of implementing the suggested method, a 16-element array with a random overlap subarray structure, including the feeding network and microstrip antenna element, will be modeled using a full-wave simulator. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is efficient for designing array topology.

13. The study strategies of small liberal arts college students before and after COVID-19.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 8

Rinella HL, Putnam AL.

14. The economic costs of chronic wasting disease in the United States.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 8

Chiavacci SJ.

Cervids are economically important to a wide range of stakeholders and rights holders in the United States. The continued expansion of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting wild and farmed cervids, poses a direct and indirect threat to state and federal government agency operations and cervid related economic activity. However, the scale of this disease's direct economic costs is largely unknown. I synthesized existing publicly available data and stakeholder-provided data to estimate CWD's costs within the continental United States. Federal government agencies collectively spent over $284.1 million on CWD-related efforts between 2000 and 2021, with $203.6 million of this total being spent by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. In fiscal year 2020, state natural resources agencies and state agriculture/animal health agencies spent over $25.5 million and $2.9 million, respectively, on CWD-related work. Natural resources agencies in states with known CWD cases spent over 8 times as much on CWD as agencies from states with no known cases. The farmed cervid industry spent at least $307,950 on CWD sampling in 2020, though a lack of available data prevented a complete assessment of costs to this industry. Based on limited data, CWD's economic effects on the hunting industry (i.e., outfitters and guides, companies leasing land to cervid hunters), may be negligible at this time. Overall, however, the realized economic costs of CWD appear considerable, and it is likely that the number of stakeholders financially affected by this disease and regulations meant to stem its spread will continue to grow. By understanding the current economic impacts of CWD, we are better positioned to assess the costs and benefits of investments in management and research and to understand the magnitude of this disease's broader societal impacts.

15. Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC): Old player creates new perspectives on the polymicrobial sepsis model of CASP.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 8

van der Linde J, Diedrich S, Klee T

16. Active versus sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as an adjunct to varenicline treatment for smoking cessation: Study protocol for a double-blind single dummy randomized controlled trial.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 8

Zawertailo L, Zhang H, Rahmani N

BACKGROUND: Smoking is a chronic and relapsing disease, with up to 60% of quitters relapsing within the first year. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), targets cortical circuits and acutely reduces craving and withdrawal symptoms among cigarette smokers. However, the efficacy of tDCS as an adjunct to standard smoking cessation treatments has not been studied. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of tDCS in combination with varenicline for smoking cessation. We hypothesize that active tDCS combined with varenicline will improve cessation outcomes compared to sham tDCS combined with varenicline. METHODS: This is a double-blind, sham-controlled randomized clinical trial where fifty healthy smokers will be recruited in Toronto, Canada. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to either active tDCS (20 minutes at 2 mA) or sham tDCS (30 seconds at 2 mA, 19 minutes at 0 mA) for 10 daily sessions (2 weeks) plus 5 follow up sessions, occurring every two weeks for 10 weeks. All participants will be given standard varenicline treatment concurrently for the 12-week treatment period. The primary outcome is 30 day continuous abstinence at end of treatment, confirmed with urinary cotinine. Measurements made at each study visit include expired carbon monoxide, self-reported craving and withdrawal. Three magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans will be conducted: two at baseline and one at end of treatment, to assess any functional or structural changes following treatment. DISCUSSION: For every two smokers who quit, one life is saved from a tobacco-related mortality. Therefore, it is important to develop new and more effective treatment approaches that can improve and maintain long-term abstinence, in order to decrease the prevalence of tobacco-related deaths and disease. Furthermore, the addition of longitudinal neuroimaging can shed light on neural circuitry changes that might occur as a result of brain stimulation, furthering our understanding of tDCS in addiction treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial has been registered with Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03841292 since February 15th 2019 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03841292)-retrospectively registered.

17. Targeted deep sequencing analyses of long QT syndrome in a Japanese population.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 8

Nagata Y, Watanabe R, Eichhorn C

18. Analysis of personality traits' correlation to facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) and mandibular line angle based on 16 personality factor in Chinese college students.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Lv H, Wang T, Zhang J

Facial appearance reveals clues about personality. Studies have found that facial width-to-height ratio (fWHR) correlates with some personality traits, and mandibular morphology as a potential facial feature that might have correlation with personality traits. Therefore, a face recognition study was carried out to explore the personality traits' correlation to both fWHR and bilateral mandibular line angles. Specifically, face images of 904 college students in China were collected and measured, with the personality traits evaluated using the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire. Analyses revealed that the average bilateral mandibular line angle of the male were significantly more extensive than that of the female, while the fWHR of the female was significantly more extensive than that of the male. We found facial features (fWHR and average bilateral mandibular line angle) were correlated with 16PF in the canonical correlation analysis and the loadings of bilateral mandibular line angles were greater than that of fWHR. The fWHR was significantly negatively correlated with the scores of sensitivity and self-reliance in male but none of the factors related to fWHR in female. The bilateral mandibular line angles were significantly negatively correlated with the scores of social boldness in male, and were significantly negatively correlated with the scores of vigilance and apprehension in female. Over all, the correlations between fWHR, average bilateral mandibular line angle and certain 16PF factors in male and female tend to be different, suggesting that such correlations might vary with gender. In the future, mandibular morphology could be selected as a potential indicator in facial perception. The limitations of this study were the participants were limited to 18-30 years of age and the mandibular morphology was not measured with anthropometry, which could be further improved in future studies.

19. Assessment of the performance and challenges in the implementation of the test, treat and track (T3) strategy for malaria control among children under-five years in Ghana.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Kweku M, Der JB, Blankson WK

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recommended the Test, Treat and Track (T3) strategy for malaria control that, every suspected malaria case should be tested prior to treatment with Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and tracked. We assessed the performance and challenges in the implementation of T3 strategy among children under-five years in Volta and Oti Regions of Ghana. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried in 69 health facilities. Exit interviews were conducted for caregivers of children with fever using a semi-structured questionnaire. Clinicians were interviewed at the out-patient department in each facility. Descriptive statistics was conducted, Chi-square test and logistic regression were used to determine the associations between completion of T3 and independent variables. RESULTS: Most children, 818/900 (90.9%) were tested for malaria and 600/818 (73.4%) were positive for malaria parasitaemia using rapid diagnostic test. Of those testing positive for malaria, 530/600 (88.3%) received treatment with ACTs. Half, (109/218) of the children testing negative for malaria also received ACTs. Also, 67/82 (81.7%) of children not tested for malaria received ACTs. Only 408/900 (45.3%) children completed T3 with Community Health-based Planning Services (CHPS) compound having the highest completion rate 202/314 (64.3%). CHPS Compounds were 6.55 times more likely to complete T3 compared to the hospitals [(95% CI: 3.77, 11.35), p<0.001]. Health facilities with laboratory services were 2.08 times more likely to complete T3 [(95% CI: 1.55, 2.79), p<0.001] The main challenge identified was clinicians' perception that RDTs do not give accurate results. CONCLUSION: Testing fever cases for malaria before treatment and treating positive cases with ACTs was high. Treating negative cases and those not tested with ACTs was also high. Health facilities having laboratory services and facility being CHPS compounds were key predictors of completing T3. Clinician's not trusting RDT results can affect the T3 strategy in malaria control. Periodic training/monitoring is required to sustain adherence to the strategy.

20. Collaborating neuroscience online: The case of the Human Brain Project forum.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Kreyer AC, Wang LX.

21. Behavioral factors predict all-cause mortality in female coronary patients and healthy controls over 26 years - a prospective secondary analysis of the Stockholm Female Coronary Risk Study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Deter HC, Meister R, Leineweber C

OBJECTIVE: The prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) is related to its severity and cardiovascular risk factors in both sexes. In women, social isolation, marital stress, sedentary lifestyle and depression predicted CAD progression and outcome within 3 to 5 years. We hypothesised that these behavioral factors would still be associated with all-cause mortality in female patients after 26 years. METHODS: We examined 292 patients with CAD and 300 healthy controls (mean age of 56 ± 7 y) within the Fem-Cor-Risk-Study at baseline. Their cardiac, behavioral, and psychosocial risk profiles, exercise, smoking, and dietary habits were assessed using standardized procedures. Physiological characteristics included a full lipid profile, the coagulation cascade and autonomic dysfunction (heart rate variability, HRV). A new exploratory analysis using machine-learning algorithms compared the effects of social and behavioral mechanisms with standard risk factors. Results: All-cause mortality records were completed in 286 (97.9%) patients and 299 (99.7%) healthy women. During a median follow-up of 26 years, 158 (55.2%) patients and 101 (33.9%) matched healthy controls died. The annualized mortality rate was 2.1% and 1.3%, respectively. After controlling for all available confounders, behavioral predictors of survival in patients were social integration (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.99-1.0) and physical activity (HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.37-0.79). Smoking acted as a predictor of all-cause mortality (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.03-2.36). Among healthy women, moderate physical activity (HR 0.42, 95% CI 0.24-0.74) and complete HRV recordings (≥50%) were found to be significant predictors of survival. CONCLUSIONS: CAD patients with adequate social integration, who do not smoke and are physically active, have a favorable long-term prognosis. The exact survival times confirm that behavioral risk factors are associated with all-cause mortality in female CAD patients and healthy controls.

22. Differentiating between bacterial and viral infections by estimated CRP velocity.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Largman-Chalamish M, Wasserman A, Silberman A

23. Profitability determinants of the natural stone industry: Evidence from Spain and Italy.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Zambrano Farías FJ, Martínez MDCV, Martín-Cervantes PA.

24. Large-scale digital forensic investigation for Windows registry on Apache Spark.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Lee JH, Kwon HY.

25. Exploring the contributions of sex and traditionally genderized interpersonal-expressive traits to variability in post-trauma pain ratings.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Ghodrati M, Walton DM, MacDermid JC.

26. Logical computation with self-assembling electric circuits.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Yasmin R, Deaton R.

27. Context and prediction matter for the interpretation of social interactions across species.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Epperlein T, Kovacs G, Oña LS

28. Catquest-9SF questionnaire: Validation in a Greek-speaking population using Rasch analysis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Nanos P, Kouteliari V, Panagiotopoulou EK

PURPOSE: The Catquest-9SF questionnaire is a tool measuring visual disability and vision-related limitation in patients' daily activities. The primary objective of this study was the validation of Catquest-9SF in a Greek-speaking cataract population. METHODS: The questionnaire was translated into Greek and translated back into English. A pre-final Greek version was formed and tested by 10 Greek-English bilingual participants and by the translation team, and the final version was produced. Patients scheduled for cataract surgery completed the questionnaire preoperatively and postoperatively. Rasch analysis was performed for the assessment of the Catquest-9SF psychometric properties, including response category ordering, item fit statistics, principal components analysis, precision, differential item functioning and targeting for preoperative and postoperative data collectively. RESULTS: A total of 100 (55 men, 45 women, mean age = 71.94±6.63) cataract patients completed the Greek version of Catquest-9SF questionnaire preoperatively and postoperatively. Rasch analysis showed a significant improvement in the median person Rasch score from -1.49 preoperatively to -4.71 logits postoperatively, while the effect size was 1.3. Unidimensionality was confirmed since infit and outfit mean square values varied between 0.66 and 1.37. Rasch analysis showed good precision and separation ability (Person Separation Index of 3.28, and Person Reliability of 0.92). Four response categories were found for all items. The item-person means difference was -1.83 logits. The difference between preoperative and postoperative Catquest-9SF logit score was positively correlated with preoperative Catquest-9SF logit score (coeff. = 0.798, p<0.0001) and negatively correlated with postoperative spherical equivalent (coeff. = -0.825, p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: The Greek version of Catquest-9SF proved to be reliable, valid, unidimensional and responsive to changes after cataract surgery presenting good psychometric properties for cataract patients. Some postoperative mistargeting was found indicating that the tasks were easily performed by respondents after cataract surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05323526 -retrospectively registered.

29. B cell phenotypes and maturation states in cows naturally infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Stabel JR, Bannantine JP, Humphrey S.

Little is known about the role that B cells play in immune responses to infection with the intracellular pathogen, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Traditionally, the role of B cells has been constrained to their function as antibody-producing cells, however, antibodies are not thought to play a protective role in mycobacterial infections. The present study was designed to characterize B cell subpopulations as well as activation/maturation states in cattle with paratuberculosis. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from noninfected control cows (n = 8); as well cattle naturally infected with MAP in the subclinical (n = 8) and clinical (n = 7) stage of infection and stimulated with MAP antigen for 6 days. MAP infection resulted in greater numbers of total B cells for clinical cows compared to control noninfected cows. The major subpopulation in freshly isolated PBMCs in clinical cows was B-1a B cells, but this shifted to a composite of both B-1a and B-2 B cells upon stimulation of PBMCs with either MAP antigen or pokeweed mitogen, with higher numbers of B-2 B cells. Early B cells were observed to predominate the population of B cells in PBMCs, with lesser populations of germinal B cells, memory B cells and plasma cells. These subpopulations were elevated in clinical cows upon stimulation of PBMCs with MAP antigen, except for plasma cells which were lower compared to control noninfected cows. Increased numbers of B cells in clinical cows aligned with higher expression of B cell markers such as MAPK1/3, BTG1, Bcl2, CD79A and SWAP70, depending upon in vitro stimulation with either mitogen or antigen. This would indicate that the B cells were capable of activation but were anti-apoptotic in nature. The shift to B-2 B cells in the periphery of clinical cows seems to be indicative of an expansion of memory B cells, rather than plasma cells. This may be a last attempt by the host to control the rampant inflammatory state associated with advanced clinical disease.

30. Confounds and overestimations in fake review detection: Experimentally controlling for product-ownership and data-origin.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Soldner F, Kleinberg B, Johnson SD.

31. High prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and multidrug resistance among bacterial isolates from diseased pets: Retrospective laboratory data (2015-2017).

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Haulisah NA, Hassan L, Jajere SM

32. Self-management of depression and anxiety amongst frail older adults in the United Kingdom: A qualitative study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Nair P, Walters K, Aw S

OBJECTIVES: Depression and anxiety are common in frail older people and are associated with high levels of morbidity and mortality, yet they typically face greater barriers to accessing mental health treatments than younger people and express preferences for self-managing their symptoms. This study aims to explore frail older adults' experiences of self-managing symptoms of depression and/or anxiety. DESIGN: Qualitative semi-structured interviews, exploring experiences of depression and/or anxiety, ways participants self-managed these and the contexts within which this took place. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. PARTICIPANTS: 28 frail older adults in the United Kingdom, purposively sampled for neighbourhood, frailty and symptoms of anxiety/depression. ANALYSIS: Thematic analysis to inductively derive themes from the data. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that frail older adults find maintaining independence, engaging in meaningful activities, and socialising and peer support important for self-managing depression and anxiety. These could all be adapted to the level of frailty experienced. Drawing on life experiences, addressing the perceived cause and faith were helpful in some situations and for some personalities. Distraction and avoidance were helpful for more severe symptoms or where the causes of symptoms could not be resolved. Self-management strategies were less well-established for anxiety symptoms, especially when linked to newer health fears and worries about the future. CONCLUSIONS: Developing services and sources of information that support and facilitate key therapeutic components of self-management, which align with older adults' preferred coping styles and take into account levels of frailty, may be a way of supporting frail older people waiting for mental health treatments or those who prefer not to access these. Greater awareness of anxiety and how it can be self-managed in frail older people is needed.

33. Long term effectiveness of inactivated vaccine BBIBP-CorV (Vero Cells) against COVID-19 associated severe and critical hospitalization in Morocco.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Belayachi J, Obtel M, Mhayi A

BACKGROUND: We provide national estimates of the real-world Vaccine effectiveness (VE) based on nationally available surveillance data. The study aimed to estimate the effectiveness of the inactivated Covid-19 vaccine BBIBP-CorV (Vero Cells) Sinopharm vaccine currently deployed in Morocco against SARS- CoV-2 severe disease/ hospitalization" within 9 months after vaccination. METHODS: We conducted a test-negative, case-control study among a population aged 18 years or older who were tested by rt-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 infection from February to October 2021 in Morocco. From the national laboratory COVID-19 database; we identified cases who were rt-PCR positive amongst severe and critical COVID-19 cases and controls who had a negative rt-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2. From the national vaccination register (NVR); individuals vaccinated with COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell) and those unvaccinated were identified and included in the study. The linkage between databases was conducted for the study of Vaccination status based on the timing of the vaccine receipt relative to the SARS-CoV-2 rt-PCR test date. For each person, who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, we identified a propensity score-matched control participant who was tested negative. We estimated vaccine effectiveness against SARS- CoV-2 severe disease/ hospitalization using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 12884 persons who tested positive and 12885 propensity score-matched control participants, the median age was 62 years, 47.2% of whom were female. As a function of time after vaccination of second dose vaccination, vaccine effectiveness during the first month was 88% (95% CI, 84-91), 87% (95% CI: 83-90) during the second and third month, 75% (95% CI: 67-80) during the fourth month, 61% (95% CI: 54-67) during the fifth month, and 64% (95% CI: 59-69) beyond the sixth month. VE remained high and stable during the first three months in the two-age subgroup. In the fourth month, the VE in the older population aged 60 years and above (64%) was reduced by 20 points compared to VE in the younger population (84%). CONCLUSION: A Sinopharm vaccine is highly protective against serious SARS-CoV-2 infection under real-world conditions. Protection remained high and stable during the first three months following the second dose and decreases slightly beyond the fourth month especially beyond 60 years.

34. Pulmonary inflammatory response and immunomodulation to multiple trauma and hemorrhagic shock in pigs.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Oestreich MA, Seidel K, Bertrams W

35. GW-2974 and SCH-442416 modulators of tyrosine kinase and adenosine receptors can also stabilize human telomeric G-quadruplex DNA.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 7

Salem AA, El Haty IA, Ghattas MA.

GW-2974 is a potent tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor while SCH-442416 is a potent adenosine receptors' antagonist with high selectivity towards human adenosine A2A receptor over other adenosine receptors. The two compounds were reported to possess anti-cancer properties. This study aimed to investigate whether stabilization of human telomeric G-quadruplex DNA by GW-2974- and SCH-442416 is a plausible fundamental mechanism underlying their anti-cancer effects. Human telomeric G-quadruplex DNA with sequence AG3(TTAGGG)3 was used. The study used ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), fluorescence, fluorescence quenching, circular dichroism (CD), melting temperatures (Tm) and molecular docking techniques to evaluate interactions. The results showed that GW-2974 and SCH-442416 interacted with G-quadruplex DNA through intercalation binding into two types of dependent binding sites. Binding affinities of 1.3 × 108-1.72 × 106 M-1 and 1.55 × 107-3.74 × 105 M-1 were obtained for GW-2974 and SCH-442416, respectively. An average number of binding sites between 1 and 2 was obtained. Additionally, the melting temperature curves indicated that complexation of both compounds to G-quadruplex DNA provided more stability (ΔTm = 9.9°C and 9.6°C, respectively) compared to non-complexed G-quadruplex DNA. Increasing the molar ratios over 1:1 (drug:G-quadruplex) showed less stabilization effect on DNA. Furthermore, GW-2974 and SCH-442516 have proven ≥ 4.0 folds better selective towards G-quadruplex over double-stranded ct-DNA. In silico molecular docking and dynamics revealed favorable exothermic binding for the two compounds into two sites of parallel and hybrid G-quadruplex DNA structures. The results supported the hypothesis that GW-2974 and SCH-442416 firmly stabilize human telomeric G-quadruplex DNA in additions to modulating tyrosine kinase and adenosine receptors. Consequently, stabilizing G-quadruplex DNA could be a mechanism underlying their anti-cancer activity.

36. Identification of a rickettsial endosymbiont in a soft tick Ornithodoros turicata americanus.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 6

Liu L, Sonenshine DE, Sultana H

37. School bullying among Chinese third to fifth grade primary school students in a cross-sectional study: The protective effect of psychological resilience.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 6

Fei L, Liao M, Ke L

38. Acute postoperative pain and dorsal root ganglia transcriptomic signatures following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in rats: An experimental study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 6

Komatsu DE, Uddin SMZ, Gordon C

39. Quality of life among patients with the common chronic disease during COVID-19 pandemic in Northwest Ethiopia: A structural equation modelling.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 6

Ayele TA, Shibru Fanta H, Mequanent Sisay M

BACKGROUND: Improving Quality of Life (QoL) for patients with chronic diseases is a critical step in controlling disease progression and preventing complications. The COVID-19 pandemic has hampered chronic disease management, lowering patients' quality of life. Thus, we aimed to assess the quality of life and its determinants in patients with common chronic diseases, in Northwest Ethiopia during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1815 randomly selected chronic patients with common chronic diseases. A standardized WHOQOL BREF tool was used, and electronic data collection was employed with the kobo toolbox data collection server. Overall QoL and the domains of Health-Related Quality of life (HRQoL) were determined. Structural equation modelling was done to estimate independent variables' direct and indirect effects. Path coefficients with a 95% confidence interval were reported. RESULTS: About one in third, (33.35%) and 11.43% of the study participants had co-morbid conditions and identified complications, respectively. The mean score of QoL was 56.3 ranging from 14.59 and 98.95. The environmental domain was the most affected domain of HRQoL with a mean score of 52.18. Age, psychological, and environmental domains of HRQoL had a direct positive effect on the overall QoL while the physical and social relationships domains had an indirect positive effect. On the other hand, the number of medications taken, the presence of comorbidity, and complications had a direct negative impact on overall QoL. Furthermore, both rural residency and the presence of complications had an indirect negative effect on overall QoL via the mediator variables of environmental and physical health, respectively. CONCLUSION: The quality of life was compromised in chronic disease patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the environmental domain of HRQoL was the most affected. Several socio-demographic and clinical factors had an impact on QoL, either directly or indirectly. These findings highlighted the importance of paying special attention to rural residents, patients with complications, patients taking a higher number of medications, and patients with comorbidity.

40. Native annual forbs decline in California coastal prairies over 15 years despite grazing.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 6

Lesage JC, Hayes GF, Holl KD.

41. What is the overlap between malnutrition, frailty and sarcopenia in the older population? Study protocol for cross-sectional study using UK Biobank.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 6

AlMohaisen N, Gittins M, Todd C

42. Machine learning for the prediction of minor amputation in University of Texas grade 3 diabetic foot ulcers.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 6

Wang S, Wang J, Zhu MX

43. Beliefs regarding COVID-19 vaccinations of young adults in the United Kingdom: An interview study applying the Integrated Change Model.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 6

van Bergen I, Böger S, Beaudart C

INTRODUCTION: Young adults are considered one of the most hesitant groups towards getting vaccinated in the UK, which threatens the success of the vaccination program in ending the pandemic. Identifying and understanding the socio-cognitive beliefs is important to effectively design and implement health communication interventions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify the underlying beliefs regarding COVID-19 vaccinations among young adults in the UK. METHODS: The study consisted of online, one-on-one interviews with 18 individuals (6 males, 12 females) aged between 18 and 29 years, conducted in June 2021. The guiding theoretical framework was the I-Change Model. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were independently coded by two researchers by using the constructs of the I-Change Model. Belief statements were elicited from the codes and the frequency of belief statements was recorded and compared between intenders and non-intenders. RESULTS: Similar beliefs were observed in intenders and non-intenders for most constructs of the I-Change Model. However, non-intenders distinguished themselves from intenders by their higher perceived risks of side effects and higher perceived disadvantages of being vaccinated. Non-intenders expressed the belief that the risk of unknown or long-term side effects, such as blood clotting and impact on fertility, were the main reason for them not to be willing to vaccinate. In addition, in both groups, participants had mostly similar beliefs as their friends and family. CONCLUSION: This research provides insights in the specific beliefs of the young adult population of the UK regarding COVID-19 vaccinations, which could have implications for health communication interventions. The findings suggest that such interventions should focus on reducing the uncertainty regarding short- and long-term effects and potentially having a focus on the entire social environment of young adults.

44. Acute echocardiographic and electrocardiographic effects of triggered left ventricular pacing.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 6

Pfeffer TJ, Neuser J, Mueller-Leisse J

45. SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variant binding affinity to an angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 fusion glycoproteins.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 6

Matthews AM, Biel TG, Ortega-Rodriguez U

46. Prognosis of older patients with newly diagnosed AML undergoing antileukemic therapy: A systematic review.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 5

Hao Q, Foroutan F, Han MA

47. Mopane worm value chain in Zimbabwe: Evidence on knowledge, practices, and processes in Gwanda District.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 5

Manditsera FA, Mubaiwa J, Matsungo TM

48. Moderation analysis of exchange rate, tourism and economic growth in Asia.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Adeleye BN, Ogede JS, Rabbani MR

49. Social isolation and psychological distress among southern U.S. college students in the era of COVID-19.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Giovenco D, Shook-Sa BE, Hutson B

50. Risk of obstetric anal sphincter tear among primiparous women with a history of female genital mutilation, giving birth in Sweden.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Eshraghi B, Hermansson J, Berggren V

BACKGROUND: Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes a range of procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia. It is a harmful procedure that violates human rights of girls and women. FGM has been associated with obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI), among other adverse obstetric complications. However, the obstetric outcomes in high-income countries are not clear. The aim of this study was to compare the risk of OASI among primiparous women, with and without a history of FGM, giving birth in Sweden. METHOD: A population-based cohort-study based on data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register during the period 2014-2018. The study included primiparous women with singleton term pregnancies. We compared the risk, using multivariable logistic regression, of our main outcome OASI between women with a diagnosis of FGM and women without a diagnosis of FGM. Secondary outcomes included episiotomy and instrumental vaginal delivery. RESULT: A total of 239,486 primiparous women with a term singleton pregnancy were identified. We included 1,444 women with a diagnosis of FGM and 186,294 women without a diagnosis of FGM in our analysis. The overall rate of OASI was 3% in our study population. By using multivariable logistic regression analysis, we found that women with a diagnosis of FGM had a significantly increased odds ratio (OR) of OASI (OR 2.69, 95%CI: 2.14-3.37) compared to women without a diagnosis of FGM. We also found an association between FGM and instrumental delivery as well as the use of episiotomy. CONCLUSION: Women with a history of FGM have an almost tripled risk of OASI in comparison with women without FGM, when giving birth in a Swedish setting. Increased knowledge and awareness regarding FGM, and its potential health implications is crucial in order to minimise the risk of OASI among women with FGM giving birth in high-income countries. A limitation in our study is the lack of information about the specific types of FGM.

51. Prevalence and persistent prescription of analgesic drugs in persons admitted with dementia to a nursing home - A longitudinal study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Helvik AS, Bergh S, Kabukcuoğlu K

The overall aim was to explore the prevalence and persistent regular prescription of opioids and paracetamol among nursing home (NH) residents with dementia at admission and over time. A total of 996 residents with dementia, mean (SD) age 84.5 (7.6) years and (36.1% men), were included at admission (A1). Yearly assessments were performed for two years (A2 and A3) or until death. Pain was assessed using the Mobilization-Observation-Behavior-Intensity-Dementia-2 (MOBID-2) Pain Scale. Information regarding prescription of analgesics, general physical health, personal activities of daily living, severity of dementia, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and prescription of psychotropic drugs was collected. A generalized linear mixed model was used to explore whether pain severity was associated with persistent and persistent prescription of opioids and/or paracetamol across timepoints. At A1, 495 of 996 (49.7%) NH residents were prescribed analgesics and prevalence increased at the follow-ups (A2: n = 630, 65.1%; A3: n = 382, 71.2%). Paracetamol was the most frequently prescribed analgesic at all assessments (A1: 45.5%; A2: 59.5%; A3: 67.1%). Opioid prescriptions were quite prevalent (A1: 18.1%; A2: 25.1%; A3: 28.3%), with odds approximately 13 times (OR = 13.3, 95% CI 6.8-26.0) and 9 times (OR = 8.6, 95% CI 3.7-20.3) higher for prescription at follow-up A2 and A3, respectively, relative to prescription at A1. In adjusted analyses, higher pain intensity and poor physical health were associated with prescription and persistent prescription of opioids and paracetamol. In conclusion, prevalence and persistent prescription of analgesics were high in NH residents with dementia. The odds for the prescription of opioids at follow-up were high if prescribed at baseline. Interdisciplinary collaboration, routine assessment of pain at admission and regularly thereafter, and systematic drug reviews are essential to adequately assess and treat pain in NH residents with dementia.

52. Gestational diabetes in women with obesity; an analysis of clinical history and simple clinical/anthropometric measures.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

White SL, Pasupathy D, Begum S

53. Selection of inter-row herbaceous covers in a sloping, organic, non-irrigated vineyard.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Pornaro C, Meggio F, Tonon F

Inter-row vegetation in vineyards is classified as a service crop as it provides many ecosystem services. The vegetation is often removed but maintaining them can mitigate the negative effects on the environment. However, the type of species or mixture choice can affect their success. A field trial was conducted in an organically-managed vineyard of Cabernet sauvignon Vitis vinifera L. cultivars in north-eastern Italy, in which three blends of grass species (Shedonorus arundinaceus, Lolium perenne and Festuca rubra) and two grass-legume mixtures were grown in the inter-rows and compared with resident vegetation and regularly tilled bare soil. Each vegetation type, including resident vegetation, was subjected to mulching and non-mulching treatments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of seeded species or mixtures in the inter-row spaces of the vineyard in north-Italy as an alternative management to resident vegetation and tilled soil. The experiment was conducted over two years to monitor the persistence of the sown vegetation and the influence of vegetation types on vine performance and grape composition, and on soil compaction and erosion. The relative abundances of each species, vegetation height, percentage green cover and normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), vine shoot length, number of leaves per vine shoot, leaf area, bunch weight, vine NDVI, soil compaction and erosion, and depth and width of tractor tyre prints were measured. Over time, weed invasion altered the botanical composition of all vegetation types except for the S. arundinaceus blend, which remained stable throughout the study period. Our results showed that vine parameters were not affected by the type of vegetation in the inter-rows, nor were there differences between the grassed and bare soil inter-rows. Soil compaction and erosion, and tractor tyre prints were not directly affected by the type of vegetation cover, but they were affected by tillage in the plots with bare soil in the inter-rows or where it was used to prepare the soil for sowing. Soil compaction and erosion were related to the percentage vegetation cover. Mulching did not affect any of the parameters measured. Therefore, species selection plays a crucial role in inter-row vegetation management and in minimising environmental impacts. S. arundinaceus gave high protection against soil erosion due to its high persistence throughout the year and had the lowest growth rate thus requiring fewer cuttings.

54. Evaluation of the efficacy of Lactobacillus-containing feminine hygiene products on vaginal microbiome and genitourinary symptoms in pre- and postmenopausal women: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Yoshikata R, Yamaguchi M, Mase Y

55. Exploring the relationship between pancreatic fat and insulin secretion in overweight or obese women without type 2 diabetes mellitus: A preliminary investigation of the TOFI_Asia cohort.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Sequeira IR, Yip W, Lu LW

OBJECTIVE: While there is an emerging role of pancreatic fat in the aetiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), its impact on the associated decrease in insulin secretion remains controversial. We aimed to determine whether pancreatic fat negatively affects β-cell function and insulin secretion in women with overweight or obesity but without T2DM. METHODS: 20 women, with normo- or dysglycaemia based on fasting plasma glucose levels, and low (< 4.5%) vs high (≥ 4.5%) magnetic resonance (MR) quantified pancreatic fat, completed a 1-hr intravenous glucose tolerance test (ivGTT) which included two consecutive 30-min square-wave steps of hyperglycaemia generated by using 25% dextrose. Plasma glucose, insulin and C-peptide were measured, and insulin secretion rate (ISR) calculated using regularisation deconvolution method from C-peptide kinetics. Repeated measures linear mixed models, adjusted for ethnicity and baseline analyte concentrations, were used to compare changes during the ivGTT between high and low percentage pancreatic fat (PPF) groups. RESULTS: No ethnic differences in anthropomorphic variables, body composition, visceral adipose tissue (MR-VAT) or PPF were measured and hence data were combined. Nine women (47%) were identified as having high PPF values. PPF was significantly associated with baseline C-peptide (p = 0.04) and ISR (p = 0.04) in all. During the 1-hr ivGTT, plasma glucose (p<0.0001), insulin (p<0.0001) and ISR (p = 0.02) increased significantly from baseline in both high and low PPF groups but did not differ between the two groups at any given time during the test (PPF x time, p > 0.05). Notably, the incremental areas under the curves for both first and second phase ISR were 0.04 units lower in the high than low PPF groups, but this was not significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: In women with overweight or obesity but without T2DM, PPF did not modify β-cell function as determined by ivGTT-assessed ISR. However, the salient feature in biphasic insulin secretion in those with ≥4.5% PPF may be of clinical importance, particularly in early stages of dysglycaemia may warrant further investigation.

56. Altered visual cortex excitability in premenstrual dysphoric disorder: Evidence from magnetoencephalographic gamma oscillations and perceptual suppression.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Manyukhina VO, Orekhova EV, Prokofyev AO

57. Problematic internet use and safety behavior: The moderating role of safety climate.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Ghasemi F, Aghaei H, Nikravesh A.

58. A COVID-19 self-isolation monitoring module for FMUI undergraduate medical students: Linking learning and service needs during the pandemic surge in Indonesia.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Werdhani RA, Findyartini A, Kusumoningrum DA

To ensure that students continued receiving adequate yet safe clinical exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Faculty of Medicine at Universitas Indonesia (FMUI) created the Module of COVID-19 Self-Isolation Monitoring which aims to equip students with the knowledge and skill to monitor confirmed and close contact cases of COVID-19. Module development, divided into four phases: preparation, orientation, implementation, and evaluation phase, started as soon as the delta wave of COVID-19 cases forced medical students to halt their offline clinical rotations. A quantitative secondary data were obtained from student and patient satisfaction questionnaires and on students' performance and reflection. We analyzed the distribution of module evaluation, the student's discussion score during the module, the students' interest in participating as Covid-19 volunteers before and after the module's deployment, and the correlation between learning outcomes and satisfaction. A total of 372 patients were monitored by 208 students during the 4-week module. The response rates were above 80%, with the majority agreeing that students found this module well-organized and fulfilled their expectations. There was a significant increase in discussion scores from weeks 1 to 4, a significant difference in the proportion of students interested in COVID-19 volunteering before and after the module completion as well as a significant low correlation between the patient's monitoring score sheet and the reflection essay towards the patient's satisfaction. We should still improve tutors' time management, tutors' provision of triggering questions for critical thinking skills, and tutors' feedback for students. The module met patient expectations and is expected to assist tutors in providing feedback and examples of doctor-patient communication, thus accelerating students' competence in patient interaction. Further evaluation is needed regarding knowledge transfer, the impact on community health, and the faculty development program, especially regarding how tutors fulfill their roles as medical educators.

59. A flashing light may not be that flashy: A systematic review on critical fusion frequencies.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Lafitte A, Sordello R, Legrand M

BACKGROUND: Light pollution could represent one of the main drivers behind the current biodiversity erosion. While the effects of many light components on biodiversity have already been studied, the influence of flicker remains poorly understood. The determination of the threshold frequency at which a flickering light is perceived as continuous by a species, usually called the Critical Fusion Frequency (CFF), could thus help further identify the impacts of artificial lighting on animals. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed at answering the following questions: what is the distribution of CFF between species? Are there differences in how flicker is perceived between taxonomic classes? Which species are more at risk of being impacted by artificial lighting flicker? METHODS: Citations were extracted from three literature databases and were then screened successively on their titles, abstracts and full-texts. Included studies were critically appraised to assess their validity. All relevant data were extracted and analysed to determine the distribution of CFF in the animal kingdom and the influence of experimental designs and species traits on CFF. RESULTS: At first, 4881 citations were found. Screening and critical appraisal provided 200 CFF values for 156 species. Reported values of CFF varied from a maximum of between 300 Hz and 500 Hz for the beetle Melanophila acuminata D. to a mean of 0.57 (± 0.08) Hz for the snail Lissachatina fulica B. Insects and birds had higher CFF than all other studied taxa. Irrespective of taxon, nocturnal species had lower CFF than diurnal and crepuscular ones. CONCLUSIONS: We identified nine crepuscular and nocturnal species that could be impacted by the potential adverse effects of anthropogenic light flicker. We emphasize that there remains a huge gap in our knowledge of flicker perception by animals, which could potentially be hampering our understanding of its impacts on biodiversity, especially in key taxa like bats, nocturnal birds and insects.

60. Addressing the quality challenge of a human biospecimen biobank through the creation of a quality management system.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Servais MD, Galtier F, Nouvel A

BACKGROUND: The objective of the COMET (COllection of MEtabolic Tissues) biobank project is to create a high-quality collection of insulin-sensitive tissues (liver, muscle, adipose tissues, and epiploic artery) and blood sample derivatives (plasma, serum, DNA and RNA), collected from 270 grade 2-3 obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Relevant data on patient such as clinical/biological characteristics and sample handling are also collected. For this, our aim was to establish a Quality Management System (QMS) to meet the reliability and quality requirements necessary for its scientific exploitation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The COMET QMS includes: (1) Quality Assurance to standardize all stages of the biobanking process, (2) Quality Controls on samples from the first patients included in order to validate the sample management process and ensure reproducible quality; and 3) "in process" Quality Controls to ensure the reliability of the storage procedures and the stability of the samples over time. RESULTS: For serum and plasma, several corrective actions, such as temperature handling and centrifugation conditions, were made to the protocol and led to improvement of the volume and quality of samples. Regarding DNA, all samples evaluated achieved a satisfactory level of purity and integrity and most of them yielded the required DNA quantity. All frozen tissue samples had RNAs of good purity. RNA quality was confirmed by RIN, achieving values in most cases over 7 and efficient amplification of housekeeping genes by RT-qPCR, with no significant differences among samples from the same tissue type. In the "in process" Quality Controls, DNA, RNA, and histological integrity of tissues showed no differences among samples after different preservation times. CONCLUSION: Quality Control results have made it possible to validate the entire biobank process and confirm the utility of implementing QMS to guarantee the quality of a biospecimen collection.

61. Vaccines, media and politics: A corpus-assisted discourse study of press representations of the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Liu M, Zhao R, Ngai CSB.

62. Acquirement of the autonomic nervous system modulation evaluated by heart rate variability in medaka (Oryzias latipes).

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Watanabe-Asaka T, Niihori M, Sonobe H

63. Epidemiological trends of Lassa fever in Nigeria, 2018-2021.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Dalhat MM, Olayinka A, Meremikwu MM

64. A digital pathology workflow for the segmentation and classification of gastric glands: Study of gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia cases.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Barmpoutis P, Waddingham W, Yuan J

Gastric cancer is one of the most frequent causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Gastric atrophy (GA) and gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) of the mucosa of the stomach have been found to increase the risk of gastric cancer and are considered precancerous lesions. Therefore, the early detection of GA and IM may have a valuable role in histopathological risk assessment. However, GA and IM are difficult to confirm endoscopically and, following the Sydney protocol, their diagnosis depends on the analysis of glandular morphology and on the identification of at least one well-defined goblet cell in a set of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) -stained biopsy samples. To this end, the precise segmentation and classification of glands from the histological images plays an important role in the diagnostic confirmation of GA and IM. In this paper, we propose a digital pathology end-to-end workflow for gastric gland segmentation and classification for the analysis of gastric tissues. The proposed GAGL-VTNet, initially, extracts both global and local features combining multi-scale feature maps for the segmentation of glands and, subsequently, it adopts a vision transformer that exploits the visual dependences of the segmented glands towards their classification. For the analysis of gastric tissues, segmentation of mucosa is performed through an unsupervised model combining energy minimization and a U-Net model. Then, features of the segmented glands and mucosa are extracted and analyzed. To evaluate the efficiency of the proposed methodology we created the GAGL dataset consisting of 85 WSI, collected from 20 patients. The results demonstrate the existence of significant differences of the extracted features between normal, GA and IM cases. The proposed approach for gland and mucosa segmentation achieves an object dice score equal to 0.908 and 0.967 respectively, while for the classification of glands it achieves an F1 score equal to 0.94 showing great potential for the automated quantification and analysis of gastric biopsies.

65. Particle size distribution: An experimental study using southern African reduction methods and raw materials.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

de la Peña P, Thomas M, Molefyane TR.

66. Physiological adaptations and myocellular stress in short-term, high-frequency blood flow restriction training: A scoping review.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

de Queiros VS, Rolnick N, de Alcântara Varela PW

BACKGROUND: High frequency (1-2 times per day) low-intensity blood flow restriction (BFR) training has been recommended as a prescription approach for short durations of time to maximize relevant physiological adaptations. However, some studies demonstrate negative physiological changes after short periods of high-frequency BFR training, including prolonged strength decline and muscle fiber atrophy. OBJECTIVES: To provide a comprehensive overview of short-term, high-frequency blood flow restriction training, including main adaptations, myocellular stress, limitations in the literature, and future perspectives. METHODS: A systematic search of electronic databases (Scopus, PubMed®, and Web of Science) was performed from the earliest record to April 23, 2022. Two independent reviewers selected experimental studies that analyzed physical training protocols (aerobic or resistance) of high weekly frequency (>4 days/week) and short durations (≤3 weeks). RESULTS: In total, 22 studies were included in this review. The samples were composed exclusively of young predominantly male individuals. Muscle strength and hypertrophy were the main outcomes analyzed in the studies. In general, studies have demonstrated increases in strength and muscle size after short term (1-3 weeks), high-frequency low-intensity BFR training, non-failure, but not after control conditions (non-BFR; equalized training volume). Under failure conditions, some studies have demonstrated strength decline and muscle fiber atrophy after BFR conditions, accompanying increases in muscle damage markers. Significant limitations exist in the current HF-BFR literature due to large heterogeneities in methodologies. CONCLUSION: The synthesis presented indicates that short-term, high-frequency BFR training programs can generate significant neuromuscular adaptations. However, in resistance training to failure, strength declines and muscle fiber atrophy were reported. Currently, there are no studies analyzing low-frequency vs. high-frequency in short-term BFR training. Comparisons between resistance exercises of similar intensities (e.g., combined effort) are lacking, limiting conclusions on whether the effect is a product of proximity to failure or a specific effect of BFR.

67. Patient-Centered Communication (PCC) scale: Psychometric analysis and validation of a health survey measure.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Moser RP, Trivedi N, Murray A

68. The cross-sectional association of stressful life events with depression severity among patients with hypertension and diabetes in Malawi.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Landrum KR, Pence BW, Gaynes BN

Depressive disorders are a leading cause of global morbidity and remain disproportionately high in low- and middle-income settings. Stressful life events (SLEs) are known risk factors for depressive episodes and worsened depressive severity, yet are under-researched in comparison to other depression risk factors. As depression is often comorbid with hypertension, diabetes, and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), research into this relationship among patients with NCDs is particularly relevant to increasing opportunities for integrated depression and NCD care. This study aims to estimate the cross-sectional association between SLEs in the three months preceding baseline interviews and baseline depressive severity among patients with at least mild depressive symptoms who are seeking NCD care at 10 NCD clinics across Malawi. SLEs were measured by the Life Events Survey and depressive severity (mild vs. moderate to severe) was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The study population (n = 708) was predominately currently employed, grand multiparous (5-8 children) women with a primary education level. Two thirds (63%) had mild depression while 26%, 8%, and 3% had moderate, moderately severe, and severe depression, respectively. Nearly all participants (94%) reported at least one recent SLE, with the most common reported SLEs being financial stress (48%), relationship changes (45%), death of a family member or friend (41%), or serious illness of a family member or friend (39%). Divorce/separation, estrangement from a family member, losing source of income, and major new health problems were significant predictors of greater (moderate or severe) depressive severity compared to mild severity. Having a major new health problem or experiencing divorce/separation resulted in particularly high risk of more severe depression. After adjustment, each additional SLE was associated with a 9% increased risk of moderate or worse depressive severity compared to mild depressive severity (RR: 1.09; (95% CI: 1.05, 1.13), p<0.0001). Among patients with NCDs with at least mild depressive symptoms, SLEs in the prior 3 months were associated with greater depressive severity. While many SLEs may not be preventable, this research suggests that assessment of SLEs and teaching of positive coping strategies when experiencing SLEs may play an important role in integrated NCD and depression treatment models.

69. Food safety knowledge among pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Al Daour R, Osaili TM, Hashim M

70. Elevated retinal cGMP is not associated with elevated circulating cGMP levels in a canine model of retinitis pigmentosa.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Occelli LM, Sun K, Winkler PA

71. Heavy-ion radiation-induced colitis and colorectal carcinogenesis in Il10-/- mice display co-activation of β-catenin and NF-κB signaling.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Suman S, Moon BH, Datta K

72. HIV, sexual violence, and termination of pregnancy among adolescent and adult female sex workers in Malawi: A respondent-driven sampling study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Bossard C, Chihana M, Nicholas S

Female Sex Workers (FSWs) are a hard-to-reach and understudied population, especially those who begin selling sex at a young age. In one of the most economically disadvantaged regions in Malawi, a large population of women is engaged in sex work surrounding predominantly male work sites and transport routes. A cross-sectional study in February and April 2019 in Nsanje district used respondent driven sampling (RDS) to recruit women ≥13 years who had sexual intercourse (with someone other than their main partner) in exchange for money or goods in the last 30 days. A standardized questionnaire was filled in; HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia tests were performed. CD4 count and viral load (VL) testing occurred for persons living with HIV (PLHIV). Among 363 study participants, one-quarter were adolescents 13-19 years (25.9%; n = 85). HIV prevalence was 52.6% [47.3-57.6] and increased with age: from 14.7% (13-19 years) to 87.9% (≥35 years). HIV status awareness was 95.2% [91.3-97.4], ART coverage was 98.8% [95.3-99.7], and VL suppression 83.2% [77.1-88.0], though adolescent FSWs were less likely to be virally suppressed than adults (62.8% vs. 84.4%). Overall syphilis prevalence was 29.7% [25.3-43.5], gonorrhea 9.5% [6.9-12.9], and chlamydia 12.5% [9.3-16.6]. 72.4% had at least one unwanted pregnancy, 17.9% had at least one abortion (40.1% of which were unsafe). Half of participants reported experiencing sexual violence (SV) (47.6% [42.5-52.7]) and more than one-tenth (14.2%) of all respondents experienced SV perpetrated by a police officer. Our findings show high levels of PLHIV-FSWs engaged in all stages of the HIV cascade of care. The prevalence of HIV, other STIs, unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and sexual violence remains extremely high. Peer-led approaches contributed to levels of ART coverage and HIV status awareness similar to those found in the general district population, despite the challenges and risks faced by FSWs.

73. Three-minute bench step exercise as a countermeasure for acute mental stress-induced arterial stiffening.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Kume D, Nishiwaki M, Takahara R

74. Gut microbiota diversity in human strongyloidiasis differs little in two different regions in endemic areas of Thailand.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Rodpai R, Sanpool O, Janwan P

75. Living like an empty gas tank with a leak": Mixed methods study on post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Ogungbe O, Slone S, Alharthi A

BACKGROUND: The burden and presentation of post-acute sequela of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) are a developing major public health concern. OBJECTIVES: To characterize the burden of PASC in community-dwelling individuals and understand the experiences of people living with PASC. METHODS: This mixed-methods study of COVID-19 positive community-dwelling persons involved surveys and in-depth interviews. Main outcome was self-report of possible PASC symptoms 3 weeks or longer after positive COVID-19 test. In-depth interviews were guided by a semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions and probes based on emerging literature on PASC and the impact of COVID-19. RESULTS: With a survey response rate of 70%, 442 participants were included in this analysis, mean (SD) age 45.4 (16.2) years, 71% female, 12% Black/African American. Compared to those with no PASC symptoms, persons who reported PASC symptoms were more likely to be older (mean age: 46.5 vs. 42; p = 0.013), female (74.3% vs. 61.2%; p = 0.010), to have pre-existing conditions (49.6% vs. 34%; p = 0.005), and to have been hospitalized for COVID-19 (14.2% vs. 2.9%; p = 0.002). About 30% of the participants experienced severe fatigue; the proportion of persons reporting severe fatigue was 7-fold greater in those with PASC symptoms (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio [aPR] 6.73, 95%CI: 2.80-16.18). Persons with PASC symptoms were more likely to report poor quality of life (16% vs. 5%, p<0.001) and worse mental health functioning (Mean difference: -1.87 95%CI: -2.38, -1.37, p<0.001). Themes from in-depth interviews revealed PASC was experienced as debilitating. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the prevalence of PASC among community-dwelling adults was substantial. Participants reported considerable coping difficulties, restrictions in everyday activities, invisibility of symptoms and experiences, and impediments to getting and receiving PASC care.

76. Investigating the market for cultivated meat as pet food: A survey analysis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Oven A, Yoxon B, Milburn J.

77. The gestational diabetes future diabetes prevention study (GODDESS): A partially randomised feasibility controlled trial.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Parsons J, Forde R, Brackenridge A

OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of an ante- and post-natal lifestyle intervention for women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) to reduce type 2 diabetes risk. DESIGN: A partially randomised patient preference feasibility trial. SETTING: Diabetes antenatal clinics in two inner-London hospitals, UK. PARTICIPANTS: Pregnant women ≥18 years with a GDM diagnosis and pre-pregnancy body mass index of ≥25kg/m2. INTERVENTION: Participants in the intervention group were offered four motivational interview-based sessions (two antenatally and two postnatally, at 3 and 6 months postpartum), a WhatsApp support group, a FitBit and electronic self-help resources. OUTCOME MEASURES: Recruitment; retention; intervention dose received; data completion; adaptions; proportion achieving ≥5% weight loss; weight change, blood glucose; blood pressure; diet, physical activity, breastfeeding and depression. Clinical outcomes were measured at baseline and 6 months postpartum. RESULTS: 50 participants were recruited from 155 eligible women (32% recruitment rate). Thirty-four were recruited to the intervention group (23 following randomisation (RI-group) and 11 based on preference (PI-group)); and 16 to the control group (13 randomised (RC-group) and 3 preference (PC-group)). Attrition was 44% (n = 22/50). Forty-six percent (n = 6) of the intervention group (25% (n = 2) of the RI-group and 80% (n = 4) of the PI-group) achieved ≥5% weight loss compared to 8% (n = 1) in the control group (95% confidence interval (CI) -0.69 to 0.07). Mean weight change was -2.1kg±9.0 in the intervention group (0kg±5.4 in the RI-group and -5.4kg±13.0 in the PI-group) compared to +4.4kg±4.9 in the control group (RC +4.4kg ±5.3 and PC +4.7kg ±3.1, 95% CI -12.4 to 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: Recruitment was feasible, but strategies to improve retention are needed. The findings suggest the intervention can support women with GDM to lose weight. The observed weight loss was primarily in women who preferred the intervention. Therefore, future trials may need to adopt a preference design and consider factors associated with preference. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration: ISRCTN52675820 https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN52675820?q=ISRCTN52675820&filters=&sort=&offset=1&totalResults=1&page=1&pageSize=10&searchType=basic-search.

78. Predictive simulation of sit-to-stand based on reflexive-controllers.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Muñoz D, De Marchis C, Gizzi L

79. Ancient multiplicity in cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) cation channel repertoire was reduced in the ancestor of Olfactores before re-expansion by whole genome duplications in vertebrates.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Lagman D, Haines HJ, Abalo XM

Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) cation channels are important heterotetrameric proteins in the retina, with different subunit composition in cone and rod photoreceptor cells: three CNGA3 and one CNGB3 in cones and three CNGA1 and one CNGB1 in rods. CNGA and CNGB subunits form separate subfamilies. We have analyzed the evolution of the CNG gene family in metazoans, with special focus on vertebrates by using sequence-based phylogeny and conservation of chromosomal synteny to deduce paralogons resulting from the early vertebrate whole genome duplications (WGDs). Our analyses show, unexpectedly, that the CNGA subfamily had four sister subfamilies in the ancestor of bilaterians and cnidarians that we named CNGC, CNGD, CNGE and CNGF. Of these, CNGC, CNGE and CNGF were lost in the ancestor of Olfactores while CNGD was lost in the vertebrate ancestor. The remaining CNGA and CNGB genes were expanded by a local duplication of CNGA and the subsequent chromosome duplications in the basal vertebrate WGD events. Upon some losses, this resulted in the gnathostome ancestor having three members in the visual CNGA subfamily (CNGA1-3), a single CNGA4 gene, and two members in the CNGB subfamily (CNGB1 and CNGB3). The nature of chromosomal rearrangements in the vertebrate CNGA paralogon was resolved by including the genomes of a non-teleost actinopterygian and an elasmobranch. After the teleost-specific WGD, additional duplicates were generated and retained for CNGA1, CNGA2, CNGA3 and CNGB1. Furthermore, teleosts retain a local duplicate of CNGB3. The retention of duplicated CNG genes is explained by their subfunctionalisation and photoreceptor-specific expression. In conclusion, this study provides evidence for four previously unknown CNG subfamilies in metazoans and further evidence that the early vertebrate WGD events were instrumental in the evolution of the vertebrate visual and central nervous systems.

80. Survey of healthcare providers' testing practices for vulvovaginal candidiasis and treatment outcomes-United States, 2021.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Benedict K, Moret R, Molinari NAM

81. Next generation insect taxonomic classification by comparing different deep learning algorithms.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Ong SQ, Hamid SA.

82. Sparse canonical correlation to identify breast cancer related genes regulated by copy number aberrations.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Dutta D, Sen A, Satagopan J.

83. High baseline body mass index predicts recovery of CD4+ T lymphocytes for HIV/AIDS patients receiving long-term antiviral therapy.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Zhu J, Huang H, Wang M

84. Exploring engagement with a web-based dietary intervention for adults with type 2 diabetes: A mixed methods evaluation of the T2Diet study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Dening J, Zacharia K, Ball K

BACKGROUND: Improved understanding of participant engagement in web-based dietary interventions is needed. Engagement is a complex construct that may be best explored through mixed methods to gain comprehensive insight. To our knowledge, no web-based dietary intervention in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) has previously used a mixed methods approach. The aim of this study was to explore factors that may contribute to effective engagement in a web-based dietary program for people with T2D. METHODS: This study employed a mixed methods intervention design, with a convergent design embedded for post-intervention evaluation. The convergent design collected and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data independent of each other, with the two datasets merged/compared during results/interpretation. Quantitative data collected from intervention group participants (n = 40) were self-administered questionnaires and usage data with average values summarized. Qualitative data were participant semi-structured interviews (n = 15) incorporating a deductive-inductive thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: The results from the quantitative and qualitative data indicated positive overall engagement with the web-based dietary program. Factors that contributed to effective engagement were sustained frequency and intensity of engagement; structured weekly program delivery; participants affective engagement prior to and during the intervention, with positive affective states enhancing cognitive and behavioral engagement; and participants experience of value and reward. In addition, the user-centered development process employed prior to intervention delivery played an important role in facilitating positive engagement outcomes. CONCLUSION: This study yielded novel findings by integrating qualitative and quantitative data to explore engagement with a web-based dietary program involving people with T2D. Effective engagement occurred in this intervention through a combination of factors related to usage and participants' affective, cognitive and behavioral states. The engagement outcomes that emerged will be useful to current and future researchers using digital technologies to deliver lifestyle interventions for T2D or other chronic health conditions.

85. Correction: Identification of Hybrids in Potamogeton: Incongruence between Plastid and ITS Regions Solved by a Novel Barcoding Marker PHYB.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Yang T, Zhang TL, Guo YH

86. Attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination during the state of emergency in Osaka, Japan.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Odani S, Koyama S, Katsumi Y

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 vaccination for general population started on April 12, 2021, in Osaka, Japan. We investigated public attitudes toward vaccination and associated factors of vaccine hesitancy during the third state of emergency. METHODS: An internet-based, self-reported, cross-sectional survey was conducted in June 2021, using the smartphone health app for residents of Osaka aged ≥18 years. Respondents were asked about their attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccine. Responses "Don't want to receive vaccines" or "Don't know" were defined as vaccine hesitancy (vs. "Received [1st dose]", "Received [2nd dose]", or "Want to receive vaccines"). Multivariable Poisson regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations between hesitancy and population characteristics. RESULTS: 23,214 individuals (8,482 men & 14,732 women) were included in the analysis. Proportions that answered "Received (1st dose)", "Received (2nd dose)", "Want to receive vaccines", "Don't want to receive vaccines", "Don't know", and "Don't want to answer" were 14.6%, 3.8%, 70.6%, 4.3%, 6.1%, and 0.5% among men; and 11.3%, 6.0%, 64.9%, 6.2%, 11.0%, and 0.6% among women. Factors associated with vaccine hesitancy included being a woman (aPR = 1.33; 95%CI = 1.23-1.44), age 18-39 (aPR = 7.00; 95%CI = 6.01-8.17) and 40-64 years (aPR = 4.25; 95%CI = 3.71-4.88 vs. 65+ years), living alone (aPR = 1.19; 95%CI = 1.08-1.30 vs. living with 3+ members), non-full-time employment and unemployment (aPRs ranged 1.12 to 1.49 vs. full-time employment), cardiovascular diseases/hypertension (aPR = 0.72; 95%CI = 0.65-0.81), and pregnancy (women of reproductive age only) (aPR = 1.35; 95%CI = 1.03-1.76). CONCLUSIONS: Most respondents expressed favorable attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination while hesitancy was disproportionately high in certain populations. Efforts are needed to ensure accessible vaccine information resources and healthcare services.

87. Prevalence and correlates of physical fighting among adolescents in Paraguay: Findings from the 2017 national school-based health survey.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Taniguchi H, Shaikh MA.

BACKGROUND: Interpersonal violence among adolescents is a serious public health issue across the globe and has been one of the leading causes of death among Paraguayan adolescents. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of physical fighting among adolescents in Paraguay in order to identify problematic fighting behaviour. We also aim to examine the correlates of physical fighting and the extent to which previously identified factors correlate with physical fighting. METHODS: We used the Paraguay 2017 Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS). This survey collects health-related information on school-attending adolescents aged 13-17 years. We defined physical fighting as having participated in at least two physical fights in the previous 12 months. We chose 16 independent variables: 12 individual-level variables and four social-level variables. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed to identify factors associated with physical fighting. One of the limitations of this study is that it only captured the responses of the students who attended school on the day of the survey. FINDINGS: A total of 3,149 students completed the survey questionnaire, with the response rates for the school, student, and total response being 100%, 87%, and 87%, respectively. In 2017, 8% of the survey participants (11.4% of the males, and 4.7% of the females) had been involved in two or more physical fights during the past 12 months. In the multivariable model, having been physically attacked, male gender, physical activity, alcohol use, early sexual debut, and suicide planning were significantly associated with involvement in physical fighting. Having helpful peers and supportive parents was not statistically significant in the model adjusted for all variables. CONCLUSIONS: Although Paraguay shows relatively lower prevalence of physical fighting than other countries, the high association between physical fighting and having been physically attacked is noteworthy. Considering the serious interpersonal violence among Paraguayan adolescents, preventive attributes should be considered, and further assessment of other types of interpersonal violence should be made.

88. Modeling the spread of the Zika virus by sexual and mosquito transmission.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Agudelo S, Ventresca M.

89. In vitro genome editing activity of Cas9 in somatic cells after random and transposon-based genomic Cas9 integration.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Söllner JH, Sake HJ, Frenzel A

90. Prevalence and factors associated with hepatitis B and C virus infections among female Sex workers in Ethiopia: Results of the national biobehavioral Survey, 2020.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Bedassa BB, Ebo GG, Yimam JA

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B and C virus infections are endemic diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the highest prevalence of these infections in the world. Female sex workers are exposed to sexually transmitted infections, including hepatitis B and C, because of their high-risk sexual behavior and limited access to health services. There are no large-scale data on the prevalence of hepatitis B and C virus infections among female sex workers in Ethiopia, a critical gap in information this study aimed to fill. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, biobehavioral survey conducted from December 2019-April 2020 among 6085 female sex workers aged ≥15 years and residing in sixteen (16) regional capital cities and selected major towns of Ethiopia. Blood samples were collected from the participants for hepatitis B and C virus serological testing. The data were collected using an open data kits (ODK) software and imported into STATA version16 for analysis. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and proportions) were used to summarize data on the study variables. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the strength of association between independent variables (risk factors) and the outcome (hepatitis B and C virus infection). Adjusted Odd ratio (AOR) was used to determine independent associations, 95% confidence interval to assess precision of the estimates, and a P value ≤ 0.05 to determine statistically significant. RESULTS: The prevalence of hepatitis B and C infections among the 6085 female sex workers was 2.6% [(95% CI (2.2,2.8)] and 0.5% [(95% CI (0.4,0.7)], respectively. Female sex workers who had 61-90 and ≥91 paying clients in the past six months [(AOR = 1.66; 95% CI, (0.99, 2.79); P = 0.054] and [(AOR = 1.66 95% CI, (1.11, 2.49); P = 0.013], respectively, age at first sex selling of 20-24 and >25 years [(AOR = 1.67; 95% CI, (1.14, 2.44); P = 0.009)] and [(AOR = 1.56; 95% CI (1.004, 2.43); P = 0.048)], respectively, known HIV positive status [(AOR = 1.64; 95% CI (1.03, 2.62); P = 0.036] were significantly associated with the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection. Similarly, hepatitis C was significantly associated with, age at first sex ≤15 years and age 16-20 years [(AOR = 0.21; 95%CI (0.07,0.61); P = 0.005)] and [(AOR = 0.18; 95% CI (0.061, 0.53); P = 0.002)], respectively, known HIV positive status [(AOR = 2.85; 95%CI (1.10,7.37); P = 0.031)] and testing positive for syphilis [(AOR = 4.38; 95% CI (1.73,11.11); P = 0.002)], respectively. CONCLUSION: This analysis reveals an intermediate prevalence of hepatitis B and a low prevalence of hepatitis C infection among female sex workers in Ethiopia. It also suggests that population groups like female sex workers are highly vulnerable to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted infections. There is a need for strengthening treatment and prevention interventions, including immunization services for hepatitis B vaccination, increasing HCV testing, and provision of treatment services.

91. How to design an art-science program? Self-reported benefits for artists and scientists in the VI4 artist-in-residence program.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Cuevas S, Liu QK, Qian H

92. A qualitative systematic review of anonymous/unspecified living kidney and liver donors' perspectives.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Lim WH, Chan KE, Ng CH

93. Validity of the KOJI AWARENESS self-screening test for body movement and comparison with functional movement screening.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Murofushi K, Yamaguchi D, Katagiri H

94. TBProfiler for automated calling of the association with drug resistance of variants in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Verboven L, Phelan J, Heupink TH

95. Green credit and market expansion strategy of high pollution enterprises-Evidence from China.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Zhong Q, Ding X, Sun X

96. Concurrent locomotor adaptation and retention to visual and split-belt perturbations.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Kim SJ, Howsden S, Bartels N

Gait asymmetry is a common symptom in groups with neurological disorders and significantly reduces gait efficiency. To develop efficient training for gait rehabilitation, we propose a novel gait rehabilitation paradigm that combines two distinct perturbation strategies: visual feedback distortion (VFD) and split-belt treadmill (SBT) walking. In SBT walking, spatiotemporal gait adaptation can be readily achieved, but it quickly fades after training. Gait adaptation to implicit VFD in an unconscious manner tends to persist longer, potentially due to a greater engagement of implicit learning during training. Thus, we investigated whether the combined strategies would lead to more effective changes in symmetric gait patterns with longer retention periods. We compared the retention of the preserved asymmetric pattern acquired by "implicit VFD+SBT walking" with "SBT-only walking" and with "SBT walking with conscious correction". In the implicit VFD+SBT walking, the speed of the two belts was gradually changed, the visual representation of gait symmetry was implicitly distorted, and no instructions were given to subjects except to watch the visual feedback. In the SBT walking with conscious correction, subjects were instructed to consciously correct their steps with the help of visual feedback while SBT walking. The SBT-only walking consisted of SBT walking with no visual feedback. After the 7-minute adaptation period, we removed the visual feedback and the split-belt perturbations, and we assessed the retention of the preserved asymmetric pattern while subjects continued walking for the 15-minute post-adaptation period. In a group of subjects who spontaneously showed visuomotor adaptation in response to the implicit VFD (16 out of 27 subjects), we found a greater retention rate during the implicit VFD+SBT walking trial than the SBT-only walking or the SBT walking with conscious correction trials. The implicit visual distortion paradigm delivered in an attention-independent (unconscious) manner can be utilized and integrated into SBT walking to improve the efficacy of symmetric gait adaptation by producing longer-lasting effects on the retention of a newly learned motor pattern.

97. Use of health care services among people with Covid-19 symptoms in the first pandemic peak in France.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Pousson JE, Silberzan L, Jusot F

In France, the first pandemic peak fell disproportionately on the most disadvantaged, as they were overrepresented in contaminations and in developing severe forms of the virus. At that time, and especially during lockdown, the French healthcare system was severely disrupted and limited. The issue of social differences in the use of healthcare by people experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 arose. Based on a random sample of 135,000 persons, we selected respondents who reported Covid-19-like symptoms (cough, fever, dyspnea, anosmia and/or ageusia) during the first lockdown (n = 12,422). The aim of this study was to determine if the use of health care services was likely to contribute to widen Covid-19 social inequalities. Use of health care services was classified in three categories: (1) no consultation, (2) out-of-hospital consultation(s) and (3) in-hospital consultation(s). We estimated odds ratio of utilization of health care using multinomial regressions, adjusted on social factors (age, gender, class, ethno-racial status, social class, standard of living and education), contextual variables, health variables, and symptoms characteristics. Altogether, 37.8% of the individuals consulted a doctor for their symptoms; 32.1% outside hospital and 5.7% in hospital. Use of health care services was strongly associated with social position2: the most disadvantaged social groups and racially minoritized immigrants were more likely to use health care, particularly for in-hospital consultation(s). The highest utilization of health care were found among older adults (OR 9.51, 95%CI 5.02-18.0 compared to the youngest age group), the racially minoritized first-generation immigrants (OR 1.61, 95%CI 1.09-2.36 compared to the mainstream population), the poorest (OR 1.31, 95%CI 1.00-1.72) and the least educated (OR 2.20, 95%CI 1.44-3.38). To conclude, we found that the use of health care services counteracted the potential impact of social inequalities in exposure and infection to the Covid-19.

98. Metabolic status and vascular endothelial structure in obese hypertensive patients treated with non-pharmacological therapies: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 30

Chen Y, Yuan J, Lei X

99. A novel SfaNI-like restriction-modification system in Caldicellulosiruptor extents the genetic engineering toolbox for this genus.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 29

Swinnen S, Zurek C, Krämer M

Caldicellulosiruptor is a genus of thermophilic to hyper-thermophilic microorganisms that express and secrete an arsenal of enzymes degrading lignocellulosic biomasses into fermentable sugars. Because of this distinguished feature, strains of Caldicellulosiruptor have been considered as promising candidates for consolidated bioprocessing. Although a few Caldicellulosiruptor strains with industrially relevant characteristics have been isolated to date, it is apparent that further improvement of the strains is essential for industrial application. The earlier identification of the HaeIII-like restriction-modification system in C. bescii strain DSM 6725 has formed the basis for genetic methods with the aim to improve the strain's lignocellulolytic activity and ethanol production. In this study, a novel SfaNI-like restriction-modification system was identified in Caldicellulosiruptor sp. strain BluCon085, consisting of an endonuclease and two methyltransferases that recognize the reverse-complement sequences 5'-GATGC-3' and 5'-GCATC-3'. Methylation of the adenine in both sequences leads to an asymmetric methylation pattern in the genomic DNA of strain BluCon085. Proteins with high percentage of identity to the endonuclease and two methyltransferases were identified in the genomes of C. saccharolyticus strain DSM 8903, C. naganoensis strain DSM 8991, C. changbaiensis strain DSM 26941 and Caldicellulosiruptor sp. strain F32, suggesting that a similar restriction-modification system may be active also in these strains and respective species. We show that methylation of plasmid and linear DNA by the identified methyltransferases, obtained by heterologous expression in Escherichia coli, is sufficient for successful transformation of Caldicellulosiruptor sp. strain DIB 104C. The genetic engineering toolbox developed in this study forms the basis for rational strain improvement of strain BluCon085, a derivative from strain DIB 104C with exceptionally high L-lactic acid production. The toolbox may also work for other species of the genus Caldicellulosiruptor that have so far not been genetically tractable.

100. Are we measuring loneliness in the same way in men and women in the general population and in the older population? Two studies of measurement equivalence.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 29

Pollet TV, Thompson A, Malcolm C

BACKGROUND: High levels of loneliness are associated with negative health outcomes and there are several different types of interventions targeted at reducing feelings of loneliness. It is therefore important to accurately measure loneliness. A key unresolved debate in the conceptualisation and measurement of loneliness is whether it has a unidimensional or multidimensional structure. The aim of this study was to examine the dimensional structure of the widely used UCLA Loneliness Scale and establish whether this factorial structure is equivalent in men and women. METHODS AND SAMPLE: Two online UK-based samples were recruited using Prolific. The participants in Study 1 were 492 adults, selected to be nationally representative by age and gender, whilst the participants in Study 2 were 290 older adults aged over 64. In both studies, participants completed the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3) as part of a larger project. RESULTS: In both studies, the best fitting model was one with three factors corresponding to 'Isolation,' 'Relational Connectedness,' and 'Collective Connectedness.' A unidimensional single factor model was a substantially worse fit in both studies. In both studies, there were no meaningful differences between men and women in any of the three factors, suggesting measurement invariance across genders. CONCLUSION: These results are consistent with previous research in supporting a multidimensional, three factor structure to the UCLA scale, rather than a unidimensional structure. Further, the measurement invariance across genders suggests that the UCLA scale can be used to compare levels of loneliness across men and women. Overall the results suggest that loneliness has different facets and thus future research should consider treating the UCLA loneliness scale as a multidimensional scale, or using other scales which are designed to measure the different aspects of loneliness.

101. Association between eating behavior and the immediate neural activity caused by viewing food images presented in and out of awareness: A magnetoencephalography study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 29

Ishida R, Ishii A, Matsuo T

102. Metabolic syndrome and its associated factors among epileptic patients at Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia; a hospital-based comparative cross-sectional study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 29

Beyene Kassaw A, Tezera Endale H, Hunie Tesfa K

INTRODUCTION: Metabolic syndrome is a group of metabolic risk factors which are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type2 diabetes. Nowadays, several studies have shown that the burden of metabolic syndrome is increasing among epileptic patients, and leads to MS-associated complications, including cardiovascular disease. However, getting published documents has been limited in Ethiopia and the study area. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the magnitude and associated factors of metabolic syndrome among epileptic patients in Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in compression with respective controls. METHODS: Hospital-based comparative cross-sectional study design was implemented from June 25 to August 20, 2021. A total of 204 participants with an equal number of cases and controls (n = 102 each) were included. The data was collected through face-to-face interviews and biochemical analyses such as fasting blood glucose and lipid profiles were done through the enzymatic technique. The magnitude of metabolic syndrome was determined using both National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III and International Diabetes Federation definition criteria. The STATA version 14 was used for statistical data analysis, and a comparison of categorical and continuous variables was done with χ2 and an independent t-test, respectively. The multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with metabolic syndrome, and variables having a P-value of <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULT: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among the epileptic group was (25.5% in National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III and 23.5% in International Diabetes Federation criteria), whereas it was 13.7% in National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III and 14.7% in International Diabetes Federation criteria among control groups. According to the International Diabetes Federation criteria, low physical activity (adjusted odds ratio = 4.73, 95% CI: 1.08-20.68), taking multiple antiepileptic drugs (adjusted odds ratio = 8.08, 95% CI: 1.52-42.74), having a total cholesterol level of ≥ 200 mg/dl (adjusted odds ratio = 5.81, 95%: 1.32-41.13) and body mass index (adjusted odds ratio = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.16-2.11) were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome among epileptic participants. Applying National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, taking multiple antiepileptic drugs (adjusted odds ratio = 6.81, 95% CI: 1.29-35.92), having a total cholesterol level > 200 mg/dl (adjusted odds ratio = 7.37, 95% CI: 1.32-41.13) and body mass index (adjusted odds ratio = 1.53, 96% CI: 1.16-2.01) were also significantly associated. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among epileptic patients was higher than that of control groups and reaches statistically significant by National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. Being on multiple antiepileptic drugs, body mass index, having low physical activity and raised total cholesterol were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome among the epileptic group. Therefore, it is better to focus on controlling weight, having sufficient physical exercise, and regular monitoring of total cholesterol levels in epileptic patients.

103. Accumulation of health complaints is associated with persistent musculoskeletal pain two years later in adolescents: The Fit Futures study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 29

Smedbråten K, Grotle M, Jahre H

There is limited knowledge on the association between different health complaints and the development of persistent musculoskeletal pain in adolescents. The aims of this study were to assess whether specific health complaints, and an accumulation of health complaints, in the first year of upper-secondary school, were associated with persistent musculoskeletal pain 2 years later. We used data from a population-based cohort study (the Fit Futures Study in Norway), including 551 adolescents without persistent musculoskeletal pain at baseline. The outcome was persistent musculoskeletal pain (≥3 months) 2 years after inclusion. The following self-reported health complaints were investigated as individual exposures at baseline: asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic eczema, headache, abdominal pain and psychological distress. We also investigated the association between the accumulated number of self-reported health complaints and persistent musculoskeletal pain 2 years later. Logistic regression analyses estimated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). At the 2-year follow-up, 13.8% (95% CI [11.2-16.9]) reported persistent musculoskeletal pain. Baseline abdominal pain was associated with persistent musculoskeletal pain 2 years later (OR 2.33, 95% CI [1.29-4.19], p = 0.01). Our analyses showed no statistically significant associations between asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic eczema, headache or psychological distress and persistent musculoskeletal pain at the 2-year follow-up. For the accumulated number of health complaints, a higher odds of persistent musculoskeletal pain at the 2-year follow-up was observed for each additional health complaint at baseline (OR 1.33, 95% CI [1.07-1.66], p = 0.01). Health care providers might need to take preventive actions in adolescents with abdominal pain and in adolescents with an accumulation of health complaints to prevent development of persistent musculoskeletal pain. The potential multimorbidity perspective of adolescent musculoskeletal pain is an important topic for future research to understand the underlying patterns of persistent pain conditions in adolescents.

104. A novel method for in silico assessment of Methionine oxidation risk in monoclonal antibodies: Improvement over the 2-shell model.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 29

Tavella D, Ouellette DR, Garofalo R

105. The ethical and legal landscape of brain data governance.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 29

Ochang P, Stahl BC, Eke D.

106. Targeted delivery of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid to lungs in the form of an inhaler for the management of tuberculosis: Pharmacokinetic and toxicity assessment.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 29

Saini V, Debnath SK, Maske P

107. Use of volatile anesthetics for sedation in the ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic: A national survey in France (VOL'ICU 2 study).

PLoS One

2022 Dec 29

Blondonnet R, Balde A, Zhai R

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of patients in ICUs leading to a worldwide shortage of the intravenous sedative agents obligating physicians to find alternatives including inhaled sedation. Inhaled sedation in French ICU has been previously explored in 2019 (VOL'ICU study). This survey was designed to explore the use of inhaled sedation two years after our first survey and to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the use of inhaled sedation. METHODS: We designed a national survey, contacting medical directors of French ICUs between June and October 2021. Over a 50-item questionnaire, the survey covered the characteristics of the ICU, data on inhaled sedation, and practical aspects of inhaled ICU sedation for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. Answers were compared with the previous survey, VOL'ICU. RESULTS: Among the 405 ICUs contacted, 25% of the questionnaires were recorded. Most ICU directors (87%) knew about the use of inhaled ICU sedation and 63% of them have an inhaled sedation's device in their unit. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the use of inhaled sedation in French ICUs. The main reasons said by the respondent were "need for additional sedative" (62%), "shortage of intravenous sedatives" (38%) and "involved in a clinical trial" (30%). The main reasons for not using inhaled ICU sedation were "device not available" (76%), "lack of familiarity" (60%) and "no training for the teams" (58%). More than 70% of respondents were overall satisfied with the use of inhaled sedation. Almost 80% of respondents stated that inhaled sedation was a seducing alternative to intravenous sedation for management of COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSION: The use of inhaled sedation in ICU has increased fastly in the last 2 years, and is frequently associated with a good satisfaction among the users. Even if the COVID-19 pandemic could have impacted the widespread use of inhaled sedation, it represents an alternative to intravenous sedation for more and more physicians.

108. Effective connectivity of the amygdala during the consumption of erotic, sexual humor, and monetary rewards with a DCM-PEB approach.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 29

Chan YC, Chou TL.

109. Association of dietary magnesium intake and glycohemoglobin with mortality risk in diabetic patients.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 28

Wang HW, Huang YT, Jiang MY.

BACKGROUND: Dietary magnesium intake inversely correlated to risk of death in general population. However, it is relatively unknown whether the beneficial effect remains significant in individuals with diabetes. Our study purpose is to evaluate the association of dietary magnesium intake with mortality risk in diabetic population. METHODS: The study population is recruited from 2003-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, totaling 2,045 adults with diabetes being included. Participants were divided based on glycohemoglobin (HbA1c < 7% and ≥ 7%) and daily dietary magnesium intake (≤ and > 250mg/day) ascertained by 24-hour dietary recall interviews. RESULTS: The average age of the study population was 52.9±10.1 years, with 49.1% being male. During a median follow-up of 77.0 months (interquartile range: 45.0-107.0 months), a total of 223 participants died (1.5 per 1000 person-months). Our results showed that individuals with lower dietary magnesium intake (≤250mg/day) had higher risk of all-cause (HR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.13-2.16) and other-cause (non-cardiovascular and non-cancer) mortality (HR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.09-2.60), while cardiovascular and cancer-related mortality were similar compared with individuals with magnesium intake > 250mg/day. We also showed that the risk of all-cause (HR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.33-2.60) and other-cause mortality (HR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.29-3.19) were higher in individuals with poorly controlled diabetes (HbA1c ≥7.0%) compared with HbA1c <7.0%; however, the association attenuated in the subgroup of higher magnesium intake (>250mg/day). When combining HbA1c and dietary magnesium intake, we showed that individuals with HbA1c ≥ 7% and dietary magnesium intake ≤ 250 mg/day had higher all-cause and other-cause (non-cardiovascular and non-cancer) mortality risk compared with those with HbA1c < 7% and/or dietary magnesium intake > 250 mg/day. CONCLUSION: Higher magnesium intake may help reduce mortality risk in individuals with diabetes and attenuate mortality risk of poor diabetic control.

110. Child and adolescent food insecurity in South Africa: A household-level analysis of hunger.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 28

Mkhize S, Libhaber E, Sewpaul R

Food insecurity impacts childhood nutritional status, physical and cognitive development, and increases lifetime risk for chronic disease. Previous South African studies have examined hunger at the sub-national level without a specific focus on children and adolescents. This study determines the national prevalence of childhood food insecurity, from birth to adolescence, and identifies factors associated with hunger within the household. Individual and household-level data were extracted from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1). Prevalence of food insecurity was assessed using the Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project (CCHIP) index. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted on all households (with and without children) to determine the predictors of food insecurity, with additional analyses adjusting for child dependency and sociodemographic characteristics of household heads in households with children. Of 5 098 households surveyed, 68.6% had children and adolescents present (0-19 years). Of these households, 32.5% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 29.5-35.7) were experiencing hunger and 26.3% (95% CI: 23.9-28.8) were at risk of hunger. Among all the households, significant associations for experiencing hunger were the presence of children and adolescents: Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 1.68 (95% CI: 1.12-2.53); being female-headed: AOR = 1.53 (95% CI: 1.21-1.94) and informally-located; AOR = 1.6 (95% CI: 1.07-2.43). Of the racial groups, having a non-African household head, Coloured: AOR = 0.29 (95% CI: 0.19-0.44) and White/Indian/Asian: AOR = 0.12 (95% CI: 0.04-0.33) conferred lower odds of experiencing hunger; and, the household head having secondary/tertiary education conferred lower odds of experiencing hunger; AOR = 0.40 (95% CI: 0.28-0.56) as well as being at risk of hunger; AOR = 0.69 (95% CI: 0.52-0.92). Receiving social grants, pensions, or remittances more than doubled the odds of experiencing hunger; AOR = 2.15 (95% CI: 1.49-3.09). After adjusting for child dependency in households with children, having at least one older child (age 15-19 years old) did not change the odds of food insecurity. In summary, only 41% of South African households with children and adolescents were food secure. The associations between household head sociodemographics, household location and size on household food insecurity indicate a need for multi-sectoral interventions to bolster sustainable food systems for households with children and adolescents and to improve public protections for female-headed, African-headed and informally-located households dependent on social grants.

111. Clinical and economic burden of surgical site infections in inpatient care in Germany: A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis from 79 hospitals.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 28

Eckmann C, Kramer A, Assadian O

112. Menstrual food restrictions and taboos: A qualitative study on rural, resettlement and urban indigenous Temiar of Malaysia.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Syed Abdullah SZ.

113. Out-of-pocket expenditure on childhood infections and its financial burden on Indian households: Evidence from nationally representative household survey (2017-18).

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Farooqui HH, Karan A, Mathur MR

114. Queueing theory model of mTOR complexes' impact on Akt-mediated adipocytes response to insulin.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Kloska SM, Pałczyński K, Marciniak T

115. Amikacin liposome and Mycobacterium avium complex: A systematic review.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Zangiabadian M, Malekshahian D, Arabpour E

116. Bank liquidity and the risk-taking channel of monetary policy: An empirical study of the banking system in China.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Wang C, Zhuang L.

117. Systematic development and feasibility testing of a multibehavioural digital prehabilitation intervention for patients approaching major surgery (iPREPWELL): A study protocol.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Durrand J, Livingston R, Tew G

Improving outcomes for people undergoing major surgery, specifically reducing perioperative morbidity and mortality remains a global health challenge. Prehabilitation involves the active preparation of patients prior to surgery, including support to tackle risk behaviours that mediate and undermine physical and mental health and wellbeing. The majority of prehabilitation interventions are delivered in person, however many patients express a preference for remotely-delivered interventions that provide them with tailored support and the flexibility. Digital prehabilitation interventions offer scalability and have the potential to benefit perioperative healthcare systems, however there is a lack of robustly developed and evaluated digital programmes for use in routine clinical care. We aim to systematically develop and test the feasibility of an evidence and theory-informed multibehavioural digital prehabilitation intervention 'iPREPWELL' designed to prepare patients for major surgery. The intervention will be developed with reference to the Behaviour Change Wheel, COM-B model, and the Theoretical Domains Framework. Codesign methodology will be used to develop a patient intervention and accompanying training intervention for healthcare professionals. Training will be designed to enable healthcare professionals to promote, support and facilitate delivery of the intervention as part of routine clinical care. Patients preparing for major surgery and healthcare professionals involved with their clinical care from two UK National Health Service centres will be recruited to stage 1 (systematic development) and stage 2 (feasibility testing of the intervention). Participants recruited at stage 1 will be asked to complete a COM-B questionnaire and to take part in a qualitative interview study and co-design workshops. Participants recruited at stage 2 (up to twenty healthcare professionals and forty participants) will be asked to take part in a single group intervention study where the primary outcomes will include feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity of intervention delivery, receipt, and enactment. Healthcare professionals will be trained to promote and support use of the intervention by patients, and the training intervention will be evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. The multifaceted and systematically developed intervention will be the first of its kind and will provide a foundation for further refinement prior to formal efficacy testing.

118. Factors associated with high-level endurance performance: An expert consensus derived via the Delphi technique.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Konopka MJ, Zeegers MP, Solberg PA

There is little agreement on the factors influencing endurance performance. Endurance performance often is described by surrogate variables such as maximum oxygen consumption, lactate threshold, and running economy. However, other factors also determine success and progression of high-level endurance athletes. Therefore, the aim was to identify the relevant factors for endurance performance assessed by international experts by adhering to a structured communication method (i.e., Delphi technique). Three anonymous evaluation rounds were conducted initiated by a list of candidate factors (n = 120) serving as baseline input variables. The items that achieved ≥70% of agreement in round 1 were re-evaluated in a second round. Items with a level of agreement of ≥70% in round 2 reached consensus and items with a level of agreement of 40-69% in round 2 were re-rated in a third round followed by a consensus meeting. Round 1 comprised of 27 panellists (n = 24 male) and in round 2 and 3 18 (n = 15 male) of the 27 panellists remained. Thus, the final endurance expert panel comprised of 18 international experts (n = 15 male) with 20 years of experience on average. The consensus report identified the following 26 factors: endurance capacity, running economy, maximal oxygen consumption, recovery speed, carbohydrate metabolism, glycolysis capacity, lactate threshold, fat metabolism, number of erythrocytes, iron deficiency, muscle fibre type, mitochondrial biogenesis, hydrogen ion buffering, testosterone, erythropoietin, cortisol, hydration status, vitamin D deficiency, risk of non-functional overreaching and stress fracture, healing function of skeletal tissue, motivation, stress resistance, confidence, sleep quality, and fatigue. This study provides an expert-derived summary including 26 key factors for endurance performance, the "FENDLE" factors (FENDLE = Factors for ENDurance Level). This consensus report may assist to optimize sophisticated diagnostics, personalized training strategies and technology.

119. Effectiveness of the Internet Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy (iABCT) to improve the quality of life and well-being in a population with chronic medical illness: A study protocol of a randomized controlled trial (SPIRIT compliant).

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Martínez-Sanchis M, Vara MD, Herrero R

BACKGROUND: Chronic medical illnesses significantly and negatively affect the quality of life of individuals who suffer them and represent one of the most important challenges faced by healthcare providers and policy-makers due to its rising prevalence and high rates of comorbidity. Compassion-based interventions delivered over the Internet may be a useful approach to facilitate illness management and improve the quality of life of individuals with chronic medical conditions. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to describe a protocol for a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of the Internet Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy (iABCT) to improve the quality of life and well-being of patients with chronic medical illnesses. METHOD: A two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be carried out, with three assessment points (baseline, 3-month, and 6-month) under two conditions: intervention group and control group (waiting list). The primary outcomes include the quality of life on the EuroQol 5-Dimensions Questionnaire (EQ-5D) and the Pemberton Happiness Index (PHI). Secondary outcomes, such as compassion, self-care behaviors, illness interference, self-criticism, symptomatology, attachment styles, social support, and illness perception, will be considered. Moreover, an assessment on satisfaction and usability will be carried out. A total of 68 participants as minimum will be recruited (34 per arm). Intent-to-treat mixed-model analyses without any ad hoc imputations will be conducted. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this study will provide new insights into the potential of self-applied compassion-based interventions (CBI) delivered online in the context of chronic medical illnesses, considering aspects of their implementation (e.g., facilitators, barriers) and mechanisms of change. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered under Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04809610) and it is currently in the participant recruitment phase.

120. Anomalies in dye-terminator DNA sequencing caused by a natural G-quadruplex.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Brush GS.

121. Rebamipide treatment ameliorates obesity phenotype by regulation of immune cells and adipocytes.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Jhun J, Moon J, Kim SY

122. Cloud-based healthcare framework for real-time anomaly detection and classification of 1-D ECG signals.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Nawaz M, Ahmed J.

Real-time data collection and pre-processing have enabled the recognition, realization, and prediction of diseases by extracting and analysing the important features of physiological data. In this research, an intelligent end-to-end system for anomaly detection and classification of raw, one-dimensional (1D) electrocardiogram (ECG) signals is given to assess cardiovascular activity automatically. The acquired raw ECG data is pre-processed carefully before storing it in the cloud, and then deeply analyzed for anomaly detection. A deep learning-based auto-encoder(AE) algorithm is applied for the anomaly detection of 1D ECG time-series signals. As a next step, the implemented system identifies it by a multi-label classification algorithm. To improve the classification accuracy and model robustness the improved feature-engineered parameters of the large and diverse datasets have been incorporated. The training has been done using the amazon web service (AWS) machine learning services and cloud-based storage for a unified solution. Multi-class classification of raw ECG signals is challenging due to a large number of possible label combinations and noise susceptibility. To overcome this problem, a performance comparison of a large set of machine algorithms in terms of classification accuracy is presented on an improved feature-engineered dataset. The proposed system reduces the raw signal size up to 95% using wavelet time scattering features to make it less compute-intensive. The results show that among several state-of-the-art techniques, the long short-term memory (LSTM) method has shown 100% classification accuracy, and an F1 score on the three-class test dataset. The ECG signal anomaly detection algorithm shows 98% accuracy using deep LSTM auto-encoders with a reconstructed error threshold of 0.02 in terms of absolute error loss. Our approach provides performance and predictive improvement with an average mean absolute error loss of 0.0072 for normal signals and 0.078 for anomalous signals.

123. Association of zinc deficiency with infectious complications in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Suwanphoerung W, Klinmalai C, Rattanasiri S

BACKGROUND: Zinc plays essential roles in immune function and epithelial integrity. Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) often have low plasma zinc levels because of poor intake and diarrhea. We hypothesized that patients with zinc deficiency before HSCT had worse infectious complications after HSCT compared with patients with normal zinc levels. Citrulline, a marker of intestinal integrity, was also hypothesized to be lower in patients with zinc deficiency. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients undergoing HSCT at Ramathibodi Hospital during March 2020-September 2021 were enrolled. Blood samples for plasma zinc and citrulline were collected during the HSCT period. The 14- and 90-day outcomes after HSCT were prospectively recorded. RESULTS: Twelve of 30 (40%) patients had zinc deficiency before HSCT. Zinc-deficient patients were younger (median (interquartile range): 6 (8.8) vs 13 (5.8) years old; p = 0.017). Zinc levels tended to increase after admission in both groups. Patients with zinc deficiency had lower citrulline levels than those with normal zinc levels. Citrulline levels decreased in both groups after stem cell infusion, and the level was not significantly different between the two groups. Zinc-deficient patients had a higher rate of bacterial infection within 90 days after HSCT than those with normal zinc levels (6 in 12 patients (50.0%) vs 1 in 18 patients (5.6%); odds ratio [OR]: 17.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.68-171.70; p = 0.016). This remained significant after adjustments for age (adjusted OR: 12.31; 95% CI: 1.084-139.92; p = 0.043). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of zinc deficiency in pediatric patients undergoing HSCT was high. Zinc-deficient patients had lower citrulline levels and higher incidence of bacterial infection after HSCT. However, citrulline level was not different between patients with and without bacterial infections. It is worth to investigate whether zinc supplementation before HSCT can reduce bacterial infection after HSCT.

124. Understanding clinician connections to inform efforts to promote high-quality inflammatory bowel disease care.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Cohen-Mekelburg S, Van T, Yu X

BACKGROUND: Highly connected individuals disseminate information effectively within their social network. To apply this concept to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care and lay the foundation for network interventions to disseminate high-quality treatment, we assessed the need for improving the IBD practices of highly connected clinicians. We aimed to examine whether highly connected clinicians who treat IBD patients were more likely to provide high-quality treatment than less connected clinicians. METHODS: We used network analysis to examine connections among clinicians who shared patients with IBD in the Veterans Health Administration between 2015-2018. We created a network comprised of clinicians connected by shared patients. We quantified clinician connections using degree centrality (number of clinicians with whom a clinician shares patients), closeness centrality (reach via shared contacts to other clinicians), and betweenness centrality (degree to which a clinician connects clinicians not otherwise connected). Using weighted linear regression, we examined associations between each measure of connection and two IBD quality indicators: low prolonged steroids use, and high steroid-sparing therapy use. RESULTS: We identified 62,971 patients with IBD and linked them to 1,655 gastroenterologists and 7,852 primary care providers. Clinicians with more connections (degree) were more likely to exhibit high-quality treatment (less prolonged steroids beta -0.0268, 95%CI -0.0427, -0.0110, more steroid-sparing therapy beta 0.0967, 95%CI 0.0128, 0.1805). Clinicians who connect otherwise unconnected clinicians (betweenness) displayed more prolonged steroids use (beta 0.0003, 95%CI 0.0001, 0.0006). The presence of variation is more relevant than its magnitude. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians with a high number of connections provided more high-quality IBD treatments than less connected clinicians, and may be well-positioned for interventions to disseminate high-quality IBD care. However, clinicians who connect clinicians who are otherwise unconnected are more likely to display low-quality IBD treatment. Efforts to improve their quality are needed prior to leveraging their position to disseminate high-quality care.

125. Associations between red blood cell count and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Dai X, Zhou G, Xu L.

126. Sonodynamic therapy suppresses matrix collagen degradation in vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque by modulating caspase 3 - PEDF/HIF-1α - MMP-2/MMP-9 signaling in macrophages.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 27

Tian Y, Sheng S, Gao W

127. Physico-thermal and emission properties of tissue cultured clone from Bambusa balcoaa (Beema bamboo) and Oxytenanthera abyssinica as sustainable solid biofuels.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Boadu KB, Ansong M, Anokye R

128. Mismatch between media coverage and research on invasive species: The case of wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Argentina.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Ballari SA, Barrios-García MN.

Invasive species are a pervasive driver of global change with increasing media coverage. Media coverage and framing can influence both invasive species management and policies, as well as shed light on research needs. Using the wild boar (Sus scrofa) invasion in Argentina as a case study, we conducted a content analysis of media coverage and scientific articles. Specifically, we compared news and scientific articles based on their emphasis: ecological, economic, and health impacts and the overall perception portrayed in the news: "positive" when the articles emphasized benefits from wild boar and "negative" when focused on damage and/or loss. A literature search using Google news, Web of Science, Scielo, and Google Scholar yielded a total of 194 news articles and 37 research papers on wild boar in Argentina. More than half of the news articles focused on economic impacts of wild boar (56%) such as sport hunting, illegal hunting, and road accidents; while 27% focused on ecological impacts, and 10% on health impacts. In contrast, the majority of the scientific articles (65%) focused on ecological impacts of wild boar on native species and ecosystems; while 21% were related to health impacts and only 8.3% of scientific articles were related to economic impacts. This mismatch between media and science reveals a disconnection between social and scientific interests in wild boar and their management in Argentina, and it provides insights to research needs and prevention of management conflicts. Additionally, we found that 66.8% of news articles focused on "negative" aspects of wild boar, while 33.2% of news articles portrayed "positive" perceptions. This finding is very important because the management of invasive species such as wild boar usually requires lethal techniques, and the success of the programs depend on favorable social and political support. Good science communication is therefore key to helping scientists and managers perform more effective management actions.

129. Aptamer proteomics of serum exosomes from patients with Primary Raynaud's and patients with Raynaud's at risk of evolving into Systemic Sclerosis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Piera-Velazquez S, Dillon ST, Gu X

130. Promotive, preventive, and treatment interventions for adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa: A protocol for two scoping reviews including systematic analyses of intervention effectiveness.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Steel J, Twagira F, Seekles ML

INTRODUCTION: The increasing prevalence of mental health difficulties amongst adolescents is a worldwide concern. Poor mental health in adolescence is associated with a range of mental, physical and social problems in later life. In sub-Saharan Africa, limited data suggests that mental disorders amongst adolescents are common. It is important that interventions to address this are rooted in an understanding of the unique local context and culture. Yet, the current use, development, and effectiveness of adolescent mental health interventions in sub-Saharan Africa is unclear. In response, this paper presents a protocol for two scoping reviews that together will examine the available evidence on promotive, preventive, and treatment interventions for adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The scoping reviews will follow the five-step methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley, with further recommendations from the Joanna Briggs Institute. They will review scientific and grey literature published between 2000 and 2021, without restrictions in language or study type. A wide range of sources, including MEDLINE, CINAHL, Global Health, PsychINFO, Cochrane and Google Scholar will be searched. Eligibility screening and data extraction will be done by two independent reviewers, and disagreements resolved by a third reviewer. Data will be summarised in two phases. A narrative synthesis will provide a descriptive profile of all studies included and will explore key concepts related to intervention types, target populations and adaptations to local context. A systematic review element will collate evidence of intervention effectiveness from (cluster) Randomised Controlled Trials. DISCUSSION AND DISSEMINATION: To the best of our knowledge, these scoping reviews are the first to synthesise a wide range of available evidence on promotive, preventive and treatment interventions for adolescent mental health in sub-Saharan Africa. The results will be published in peer-reviewed publications and will be presented as an evidence base for future intervention development and implementation.

131. Mobility in informal settlements during a public lockdown: A case study in South Africa.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Borofsky Y, Günther I.

132. Analysis of body heat tolerance of workers in a simulated warm environment based on linear mixed model.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Aliabadi M, Shafiee Motlagh M, Golmohammadi R

133. Emergency department returns and early follow-up visits after heart failure hospitalization: Cohort study examining the role of race.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Solnick RE, Vijayasiri G, Li Y

Health disparities in heart failure (HF) show that Black patients face greater ED utilization and worse clinical outcomes. Transitional care post-HF hospitalization, such as 7-day early follow-up visits, may prevent ED returns. We examine whether early follow-up is associated with lower ED returns visits within 30 days and whether Black race is associated with receiving early follow-up after HF hospitalization. This was a retrospective cohort analysis of all Black and White adult patients at 13 hospitals in Michigan hospitalized for HF from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2020. Adjusted risk ratios (aRR) were estimated from multivariable logistic regressions. The analytic sample comprised 6,493 patients (mean age = 71 years (SD 15), 50% female, 37% Black, 9% Medicaid). Ten percent had an ED return within 30 days and almost half (43%) of patients had 7-day early follow-up. Patients with early follow-up had lower risk of ED returns (aRR 0.85 [95%CI, 0.71-0.98]). Regarding rates of early follow-up, there was no overall adjusted association with Black race, but the following variables were related to lower follow-up: Medicaid insurance (aRR 0.90 [95%CI, 0.80-1.00]), dialysis (aRR 0.86 [95%CI, 0.77-0.96]), depression (aRR 0.92 [95%CI, 0.86-0.98]), and discharged with opioids (aRR 0.94 [95%CI, 0.88-1.00]). When considering a hospital-level interaction, three of the 13 sites with the lowest percentage of Black patients had lower rates of early follow-up in Black patients (ranging from 15% to 55% reduced likelihood). Early follow-up visits were associated with a lower likelihood of ED returns for HF patients. Despite this potentially protective association, certain patient factors were associated with being less likely to receive scheduled follow-up visits. Hospitals with lower percentages of Black patients had lower rates of early follow-up for Black patients. Together, these may represent missed opportunities to intervene in high-risk groups to prevent ED returns in patients with HF.

134. Small hard drusen and associated factors in early seniority.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Belmouhand M, Rothenbuehler SP, Dabbah S

135. Prevalence and incidence of cyclic vomiting syndrome in Japan: A study using Japanese claims data.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Chang CH, Hikita T, Takabayashi N

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Kim JE, Seol A, Choi YJ

137. Pharmaceutical care program for patients with chronic kidney disease in the community pharmacy: Detection of nephrotoxic drugs and dose adjustment. Viability study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Escribá-Martí G, Cámara-Ramos I, Climent-Catalá MT

INTRODUCTION: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health problem. Early detection is the key to reducing morbidity and mortality, but it is difficult because it occurs without symptoms. Diagnosis of CKD is also important to avoid nephrotoxic drugs and to adjust the doses of other medications that may be affected. Pharmacies, due to their proximity to the population, frequency of patient visits, and knowledge of medication use are an ideal location for point-of-care diagnosis or CKD. OBJECTIVE: To detect and refer to the primary care physician patients with low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) who use nephrotoxic drugs or who may require a dose adjustment. METHODOLOGY: Pharmacy users over 60 years of age who agreed to participate were given a creatinine/eGFR test with a point-of-care meter. The eGFR was calculated and if it was less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m2, their medications were evaluated to identify nephrotoxic drugs or drugs that potentially required adjustment. If either were found, they were referred to their doctor for further management. RESULTS: 198 patients were recruited in 4 pharmacies, of which 87 (43.9%) had an eGFR less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m2. They were taking a total of 635 medications. Of these 635 medications, 50 (7.9%) were affected by kidney function. Dose adjustment was recommended in 31 and discontinuation in 19. The primary care doctor accepted the recommendations for 14 medications: dose adjustment for 6 and withdrawal in 8. This represents 2.3% of medications taken by patients with an eGFR less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m2. The 50 medications identified were taken by 29 patients (33.3% of the 87 with a low eGFR) and a change in treatment was generated in 9 patients, representing 4.6% of the total number of patients in the sample, and 10% of the patients with a low eGFR. CONCLUSION: Point-of-care testing for kidney function in a pharmacy setting is feasible and identifies a significant number of patients with eGFR under 60 ml/min/1.73 m2. It also allows for appropriate medication management recommendations in this patient group.

138. Parental leave during pediatric fellowship training: A national survey.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Dyess NF, Weikel BW, Barker JM

139. Assessing the health impacts of the urban expansion of small cities in China: A case study of Jiawang.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Ge Y, He Z.

140. Cancer prevention in cancer predisposition syndromes: A protocol for testing the feasibility of building a hereditary cancer research registry and nurse navigator follow up model.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Etchegary H, Pike A, Puddester R

Monogenic, high penetrance syndromes, conferring an increased risk of malignancies in multiple organs, are important contributors to the hereditary burden of cancer. Early detection and risk reduction strategies in patients with a cancer predisposition syndrome can save their lives. However, despite evidence supporting the benefits of early detection and risk reduction strategies, most Canadian jurisdictions have not implemented programmatic follow up of these patients. In our study site in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada, there is no centralized, provincial registry of high-risk individuals. There is no continuity or coordination of care providing cancer genetics expertise and no process to ensure that patients are referred to the appropriate specialists or risk management interventions. This paper describes a study protocol to test the feasibility of obtaining and analyzing patient risk management data, specifically patients affected by hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC; BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes) and Lynch syndrome (LS; MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2 genes). Through a retrospective cohort study, we will describe these patients' adherence to risk management guidelines and test its relationship to health outcomes, including cancer incidence and stage. Through a qualitative interviews, we will determine the priorities and preferences of patients with any inherited cancer mutation for a follow up navigation model of risk management. Study data will inform a subsequent funding application focused on creating and evaluating a research registry and follow up nurse navigation model. It is not currently known what proportion of cancer mutation carriers are receiving care according to guidelines. Data collected in this study will provide clinical uptake and health outcome information so gaps in care can be identified. Data will also provide patient preference information to inform ongoing and planned research with cancer mutation carriers.

141. Cutaneous information processing differs with load type during isometric finger abduction.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Yunoki K, Watanabe T, Matsumoto T

142. Preliminary validation of the Chinese version of the Shame and Stigma Scale among patients with facial disfigurement from nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Cai Y, Zhang Y, Cao W

143. Protocol for a randomized study assessing the feasibility of home-based albuminuria screening among the general population: The THOMAS study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

van Mil D, Kieneker LM, Evers-Roeten B

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a rising public health problem that may progress to kidney failure, requiring kidney replacement therapy. It is also associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Because of its asymptomatic nature, CKD is often detected in a late stage. Population screening for albuminuria could allow early detection of people with CKD who may benefit from preventive treatment. In case such screening is performed in a general practitioner (GP) setting, this will result in relatively high costs. Home-based screening might be an effective and cost-effective alternative. AIM: The THOMAS study (Towards HOMe-based Albuminuria Screening) is designed to prospectively investigate two methods for home-based population screening for increased albuminuria to detect yet undiagnosed CKD and risk factors for progression and CVD. METHODS: This investigator initiated, randomized population-based study will include 15.000 individuals aged 45-80 years, who will be randomly assigned to be invited for a home-based screening test for albuminuria with a more conventional urine collection device or an innovative smartphone application. If the test result is positive upon confirmation (i.e., elevated albuminuria), participants are invited to a central screening facility for an elaborate screening for CKD and CVD risk factors. Participants are referred to their GP for appropriate treatment, if abnormalities are found. Primary endpoints are the participation rate, yield, and cost-effectiveness of the home-based screening and elaborate screening. CONCLUSIONS: The THOMAS study will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of home-based albuminuria screening in the general population for the early detection of CKD and CVD risk factors. It will provide insight into the willingness to participate in population screening for CKD and into the compliance of the general population to a corresponding screening protocol and compliance to participate. Thus, it may help to develop an attractive novel screening strategy for the early detection of CKD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, registration number NCT04295889, registered 05 March 2020. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=NCT04295889.

144. An exploration of under-registration of chronic kidney disease stages 3-5 in Belgian general practices using logistic regression.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Van den Wyngaert I, Mamouris P, Vaes B

BACKGROUND: Early detection and treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) can prevent further deterioration and complications. Previous studies suggested that the diagnosis is often made when advanced renal failure occurs. The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence of unregistered CKD stages 3-5 in a Belgian General Practitioner population, to determine risk factors for under-registration and to investigate the diagnostic delay. METHODS: The analyses were carried out in the INTEGO database, a Flanders general practice-based morbidity registration network. The study used INTEGO data from the year 2018 for all patients ≥18 years old. CKD was defined as two consecutive eGFR laboratory measurements (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73m2) at least three months apart during the baseline period. Registered CKD was characterised by a documented diagnosis of CKD (ICPC2 U99) during the ≥12-month lookback period before the first eGFR measurement and up to six months after the second eGFR in the EHR. The prevalence of unregistered CKD and the median time of diagnostic delay were estimated. Baseline characteristics were described. A multivariate cross-sectional logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify determinants of unregistered CKD. We estimated the odds ratios and their 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Among included patients, there were 10 551 patients (5.5%) meeting the criteria of CKD. The prevalence of unregistered CKD was 68%. The mean diagnostic delay was 1.94 years (Standard deviation 0.93). Being a male, a concurrent diagnosis of diabetes, stroke, heart failure and hypertension, and more severe CKD (stages 3b, 4 and 5) independently increased the chance on registered CKD. CONCLUSION: The proportion of patients who had no registered CKD code in the EHR was substantial. The differences between registered and unregistered patients make thinking about solutions to facilitate registration in the EHR imperative.

145. A novel histopathological classification of implant periapical lesion: A systematic review and treatment decision tree.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Gong J, Zhao R, Yu Z

BACKGROUND: Implant periapical lesion (IPL), as a peri-implant disease originating from implant apex, maintains coronal osseointegration in the early stage. With the understanding to IPL increasingly deepened, IPL classification based on different elements was proposed although there still lacks an overall classification system. This study, aiming to systematically integrate the available data published in the literature on IPL associated with histopathology, proposed a comprehensive classification framework and treatment decision tree for IPL. METHODS AND FINDINGS: English articles on the topic of "implant periapical lesion", "retrograde peri-implantitis" and "apical peri-implantitis" were searched on PubMed, Embase and Web of Science from 1992 to 2021, and citation retrieval was performed for critical articles. Definite histopathology and radiology of IPL are indispensable criteria for including the article in the literature. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022378001). A total of 509 papers identified, 28 studies were included in this review. In only one retrospective study, 37 of 39 IPL were reported to be at the inflammatory or abscess stage. 27 cases (37 implants) were reported, including acute non-suppurative (1/37, developed to chronic granuloma), chronic granuloma (5/37), acute suppurated (2/37), chronic suppurated-fistulized (6/37), implant periapical cyst (21/37), poor bone healing (2/37), foreign body reaction (1/37). Antibiotics alone did not appear to be effective, and the consequence of surgical debridement required cautious interpretation because of the heterogeneity of lesion course and operation. Implant apicoectomy and marsupialization were predictable approaches in some cases. CONCLUSIONS: The diversiform nature of IPL in the case reports confirms the need for such histopathological classification, which may enhance the comparison and management of different category.

146. A basic macroeconomic agent-based model for analyzing monetary regime shifts.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Peters F, Neuberger D, Reinhardt O

147. Pooled prevalence and associated factors of pregnancy termination among youth aged 15-24 year women in East Africa: Multilevel level analysis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Hailegebreal S, Enyew EB, Simegn AE

BACKGROUND: Most of unwanted pregnancies among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Africa result in pregnancy termination. Despite attempts to enhance maternal health care service utilization, unsafe abortion remains the leading cause of maternal death in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), there is still a study gap, notably in East Africa, where community-level issues are not studied. Therefore, this study aimed to assess pooled prevalence pregnancy termination and associated factors among youth (15-24 year-old) women in the East Africa. METHODS: The study was conducted based on the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in the 12 East African countries. A total weighted sample of 44,846 youth (15-24) age group women was included in this study. To detect the existence of a substantial clustering effect, the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC), Median Odds Ratio (MOR), and Likelihood Ratio (LR)-test were used. Furthermore, because the models were nested, deviance (-2LLR) was used for model comparison. In the multilevel logistic model, significant factors related to pregnancy termination were declared using Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) with a 95%Confidence Interval (CI) and p-value of 0.05. RESULT: The pooled prevalence of pregnancy termination in East African countries was 7.79% (95% CI: 7.54, 8.04) with the highest prevalence in Uganda 12.51% (95% CI: 11.56, 13.41) and lowest was observed in Zambia 5.64% ((95% CI: 4.86, 6.41). In multilevel multivariable logistic regression result, age 20-24 [AOR = 1.93; 95% CI: 1.71, 2.16], media exposure [AOR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.34], married [AOR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.43], had working [AOR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.23],no education[AOR = 3.98, 95% CI: 2.32, 6.81], primary education [AOR = 4.05, 95% CI: 2.38, 6.88], secondary education [AOR = 2.96, 95% CI: 1.74, 5.03], multiparous [AOR = 0.85; 95%CI: 0.79, 0.93], sexual initiation greater or equal to 15 [AOR = 0.82; 95%CI: 0.74, 0.99] were significantly associated with pregnancy termination. CONCLUSION: The pooled prevalence of pregnancy termination in East Africa was high in this study. Maternal age, marital status, education status, parity, age at first sex, media exposure, working status and living countries were significantly associated with pregnancy termination. The finding provides critical information for developing health interventions to decrease unplanned pregnancies and illegal pregnancy termination.

148. Cloacal microbiomes of sympatric and allopatric Sceloporus lizards vary with environment and host relatedness.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Bunker ME, Weiss SL.

Animals and their microbiomes exert reciprocal influence; the host's environment, physiology, and phylogeny can impact the composition of the microbiome, while the microbes present can affect host behavior, health, and fitness. While some microbiomes are highly malleable, specialized microbiomes that provide important functions can be more robust to environmental perturbations. Recent evidence suggests Sceloporus virgatus has one such specialized microbiome, which functions to protect eggs from fungal pathogens during incubation. Here, we examine the cloacal microbiome of three different Sceloporus species (spiny lizards; Family Phrynosomatidae)-Sceloporus virgatus, Sceloporus jarrovii, and Sceloporus occidentalis. We compare two species with different reproductive modes (oviparous vs. viviparous) living in sympatry: S. virgatus and S. jarrovii. We compare sister species living in similar habitats (riparian oak-pine woodlands) but different latitudes: S. virgatus and S. occidentalis. And, we compare three populations of one species (S. occidentalis) living in different habitat types: beach, low elevation forest, and the riparian woodland. We found differences in beta diversity metrics between all three comparisons, although those differences were more extreme between animals in different environments, even though those populations were more closely related. Similarly, alpha diversity varied among the S. occidentalis populations and between S. occidentalis and S. virgatus, but not between sympatric S. virgatus and S. jarrovii. Despite these differences, all three species and all three populations of S. occcidentalis had the same dominant taxon, Enterobacteriaceae. The majority of the variation between groups was in low abundance taxa and at the ASV level; these taxa are responsive to habitat differences, geographic distance, and host relatedness. Uncovering what factors influence the composition of wild microbiomes is important to understanding the ecology and evolution of the host animals, and can lead to more detailed exploration of the function of particular microbes and the community as a whole.

149. Integrating drones into NHS patient diagnostic logistics systems: Flight or fantasy?

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Oakey A, Grote M, Smith A

Healthcare accounts for approximately 5% of emissions in developed nations, and the public healthcare provider in the United Kingdom (UK), the National Health Service (NHS), has set a target to reach net-zero emissions by 2040 without detriment to its quality of patient care. With Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs; a.k.a. drones, UAS, or RPAS) starting to be used in healthcare systems outside the UK, there is interest in how they could be integrated into NHS operations to transport diagnostic specimens. Reflecting on a business-as-usual analysis of current NHS diagnostic specimen logistics across the Solent region (southern UK), this paper critically evaluates the practical reality of integrating UAV deliveries of this commodity, identifying the benefits and challenges that must be addressed to realise commercial services, including dangerous goods legislation, cargo stability, routing, and weather. In the analysis, 14 out of 79 surgeries could be realistically served by a 5m wingspan vertical take-off/landing (VTOL) UAV: seven directly, and seven via ground-based transfers. The results suggested that an average of 1,628 samples could be served by UAV each week, resulting in 42 flights/week with 10 taxi services to cover periods where weather limited flying. This equated to an approximate total service cost of £2,964/week if regulations develop to relax UAV personnel constraints. The introduction of UAVs reduced the marginal external costs (greenhouse gas emissions, congestion, and air pollution) by £196 per week and cut travel times to UAV served sites by 72% (weather permitting). Tailpipe emissions (excl. taxis), vehicle-kilometres travelled, and van costs were reduced by 20%, 20%, and 23% (respectively), but the overall system cost increased by 56%. Whilst this increase is likely to make the introduction of UAV services financially challenging, the benefits in terms of emissions and journey time savings may offset some of the additional cost and warrant further investigation.

150. Ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion and associated neural activation in male rats: Impact of age and adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 22

Gore-Langton JK, Varlinskaya EI, Werner DF; in part of the Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA).

Individuals that initiate alcohol use at younger ages and binge drink during adolescence are more susceptible to developing alcohol use disorder. Adolescents are relatively insensitive to the aversive effects of alcohol and tend to consume significantly more alcohol per occasion than adults, an effect that is conserved in rodent models. Adolescent typical insensitivity to the aversive effects of alcohol may promote greater alcohol intake by attenuating internal cues that curb its consumption. Attenuated sensitivity to the aversive effects of alcohol is also retained into adulthood following protracted abstinence from adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure. Despite these effects, much remains unknown regarding the neural contributors. In the present study, we used a conditioned taste aversion (CTA) paradigm to investigate neuronal activation in late-developing forebrain structures of male adolescents and adult cFos-LacZ transgenic rats as well as in AIE adults following consumption of 0.9% sodium chloride previously paired with an intraperitoneal injection of 0, 1.5 or 2.5 g/kg of ethanol. Adults that were non-manipulated or received water exposure during adolescence showed CTA to both ethanol doses, whereas adolescents displayed CTA only to the 2.5 g/kg ethanol dose. Adults who experienced AIE did not show CTA. Adults displayed increased neuronal activation indexed via number of β-galactosidase positive (β-gal+) cells in the prefrontal and insular cortex that was absent in adolescents, whereas adolescents but not adults had a reduced number of β-gal+ cells in the central amygdala. Adults also displayed greater cortical-insular functional connectivity than adolescents as well as insular-amygdalar and prefrontal cortex-accumbens core functional connectivity. Like adolescents, adults previously exposed to AIE displayed reduced prefrontal-insular cortex and prefrontal-accumbal core functional connectivity. Taken together, these results suggest that attenuated sensitivity to the aversive effects of ethanol is related to a loss of an insular-prefrontal cortex-accumbens core circuit.

151. Long-term benefits for lower socioeconomic groups by improving bowel screening participation in South Australia: A modelling study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Lal A, Gao L, Tan E

152. Availability, price, and affordability of medicines used for the management of Covid-19 in health facilities of Dessie town WHO/HAI survey.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Mohammed SA, Tsehay T, Faris AG

BACKGROUND: The rapidly spreading nature of Covid-19 virus associated with its high mortality and mortality rate is triggering an unprecedented public health crisis. The study assessed the availability, price, and affordability of medicines used in the management of Covid-19 in health facilities of Dessie town. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study design was employed in the health facilities of Dessie town from September 1 to September 20, 2021. Data was collected using a standard checklist adopted from the Logistics Indicator Assessment Tool and WHO/HAI. WHO/HAI methodology was applied to select the surveyed health facilities (30) and medicines (44). The daily wage of the lowest-paid unskilled government worker is used to estimate affordability. RESULTS: Fifteen and five medicines were not found at all public and private health facilities, respectively. The originator brand (OB) and lowest price generic (LPG) availability in private health facilities was 2.03% and 51.33%, respectively. In the public sector, the availability of OB and LPG was 0% and 34.44%, respectively. In public and private health facilities, the mean number of stock-outs was 2.25 and 2.91, and the mean number of stock-out days was 177.83 and 106.16 days, respectively. Eight and one LPG medicines were out of stock in public and private health facilities, respectively. Eight (33.33%) and 6 (28.57%) had higher prices than international prices in private and public health facilities, respectively. The median price ratio in public and private health facilities ranged from 0.02 and 3.05 and 0.04 to 2.70, respectively. Eighty percent of the products were unaffordable in both sectors. CONCLUSIONS: The availability of medicines was low. One-third of the medicines had higher prices than international prices. Eighty percent of the products were unaffordable. The regular supply of these medicines is crucial for better management of the disease.

153. Maternal attitudes and behaviours differentially shape infant early life experience: A cross cultural study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Holden E, Buryn-Weitzel JC, Atim S

Early life environments afford infants a variety of learning opportunities, and caregivers play a fundamental role in shaping infant early life experience. Variation in maternal attitudes and parenting practices is likely to be greater between than within cultures. However, there is limited cross-cultural work characterising how early life environment differs across populations. We examined the early life environment of infants from two cultural contexts where attitudes towards parenting and infant development were expected to differ: in a group of 53 mother-infant dyads in the UK and 44 mother-infant dyads in Uganda. Participants were studied longitudinally from when infants were 3- to 15-months-old. Questionnaire data revealed the Ugandan mothers had more relational attitudes towards parenting than the mothers from the UK, who had more autonomous parenting attitudes. Using questionnaires and observational methods, we examined whether infant development and experience aligned with maternal attitudes. We found the Ugandan infants experienced a more relational upbringing than the UK infants, with Ugandan infants receiving more distributed caregiving, more body contact with their mothers, and more proximity to mothers at night. Ugandan infants also showed earlier physical development compared to UK infants. Contrary to our expectations, however, Ugandan infants were not in closer proximity to their mothers during the day, did not have more people in proximity or more partners for social interaction compared to UK infants. In addition, when we examined attitudes towards specific behaviours, mothers' attitudes rarely predicted infant experience in related contexts. Taken together our findings highlight the importance of measuring behaviour, rather than extrapolating expected behaviour based on attitudes alone. We found infants' early life environment varies cross-culturally in many important ways and future research should investigate the consequences of these differences for later development.

154. Remote consent approaches for mobile phone surveys of non-communicable disease risk factors in Colombia and Uganda: A randomized study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Ali J, Nagarajan M, Mwaka ES

INTRODUCTION: Automated mobile phone surveys (MPS) can be used to collect public health data of various types to inform health policy and programs globally. One challenge in administering MPS is identification of an appropriate and effective participant consent process. This study investigated the impact of different survey consent approaches on participant disposition (response characteristics and understanding of the purpose of the survey) within the context of an MPS that measured noncommunicable disease (NCD) risk factors across Colombia and Uganda. METHODS: Participants were randomized to one of five consent approaches, with consent modules varying by the consent disclosure and mode of authorization. The control arm consisted of a standard consent disclosure and a combined opt-in/opt-out mode of authorization. The other four arms consist of a modified consent disclosure and one of four different forms of authorization (i.e., opt-in, opt-out, combined opt-in/opt-out, or implied). Data related to respondent disposition and respondent understanding of the survey purpose were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 1889 completed surveys in Colombia, differences in contact, response, refusal, and cooperation rates by study arms were found. About 68% of respondents correctly identified the survey purpose, with no significant difference by study arm. Participants reporting higher levels of education and urban residency were more likely to identify the purpose correctly. Participants were also more likely to accurately identify the survey purpose after completing several survey modules, compared to immediately following the consent disclosure (78.8% vs 54.2% correct, p<0.001). In Uganda, 1890 completed surveys were collected. Though there were differences in contact, refusal, and cooperation rates by study arm, response rates were similar across arms. About 37% of respondents identified the survey purpose correctly, with no difference by arm. Those with higher levels of education and who completed the survey in English were able to more accurately identify the survey purpose. Again, participants were more likely to accurately identify the purpose of the survey after completing several NCD modules, compared to immediately following the consent module (42.0% vs 32.2% correct, p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: This study contributes to the limited available evidence regarding consent procedures for automated MPS. Future studies should develop and trial additional interventions to enhance consent for automated public health surveys, and measure other dimensions of participant engagement and understanding.

155. Assessment of mouse VEGF neutralization by ranibizumab and aflibercept.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Ichiyama Y, Matsumoto R, Obata S

156. The role of performance pressure, loneliness and sense of belonging in predicting burnout symptoms in students in higher education.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Dopmeijer JM, Schutgens CAE, Kappe FR

157. The relationship between spirituality and aggression in the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study among Iranian nurses.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Harati H, Mohsenipouya H, Mousavinasab N

158. Self-reported musculoskeletal disorders questionnaire for agriculturists: An online self-assessment tool development.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Poochada W, Chailklieng S.

The musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) severity and frequency questionnaire (MSFQ) has been used with agriculturists. Although it frequently appears in the literature, it does not periodically reflect the levels of MSDs. This study aimed to develop a MSDs assessment tool for agriculturists via an online database. The four hospitals that were assigned to the development and tryout group received a random selection of participants from 33 health promoting hospitals. In the development phase, 55 agriculturists (from two hospitals) completed the structured interview questionnaire. The MSFQ document for the analysis of MSDs symptoms among agriculturists was concentrated on the frequency and severity of symptoms. The online MSFQ was checked by using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) in a one-way random-effects model. In the tryout phase, a group of 44 agriculturists (from another two hospitals) completed a similar online MSFQ. Cronbach's alpha was used to test the reliability of the online self-reported MSDs questionnaires. A Likert rating scale, used to measure the satisfaction of users, was divided into three categories: information, program design, and benefits. The development phase showed an ICC = 0.99 with a 95% CI = 0.98-0.99. More than 65 percent of agriculturists were female, aged from 41-50 years old. A large number of them were engaged in self-cultivation. Their main crops were rice and cassava. In total, 50% reported that they had experienced mild MSDs levels. The shoulder, knee-calf, and hip-thigh areas were the top three parts of the body where agriculturists had experienced MSDs from cultivation. Excellent reliability of online MSFQ was found after the tryout. The agriculturists were very satisfied overall (information, program design, and benefits). Developments to the MSFQ and online administration did not diminish its reliability for obtaining information about the level of MSDs of agriculturists' musculoskeletal symptoms. This self-reported MSDs questionnaire was appropriate to be used among agriculturists.

159. Close to open-Factors that hinder and promote open science in ecology research and education.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Strømme CB, Lane AK, Halbritter AH

The Open Science (OS) movement is rapidly gaining traction among policy-makers, research funders, scientific journals and individual scientists. Despite these tendencies, the pace of implementing OS throughout the scientific process and across the scientific community remains slow. Thus, a better understanding of the conditions that affect OS engagement, and in particular, of how practitioners learn, use, conduct and share research openly can guide those seeking to implement OS more broadly. We surveyed participants at an OS workshop hosted by the Living Norway Ecological Data Network in 2020 to learn how they perceived OS and its importance in their research, supervision and teaching. Further, we wanted to know what OS practices they had encountered in their education and what they saw as hindering or helping their engagement with OS. The survey contained scaled-response and open-ended questions, allowing for a mixed-methods approach. We obtained survey responses from 60 out of 128 workshop participants (47%). Responses indicated that usage and sharing of open data and code, as well as open access publication, were the most frequent OS practices. Only a minority of respondents reported having encountered OS in their formal education. A majority also viewed OS as less important in their teaching than in their research and supervisory roles. The respondents' suggestions for what would facilitate greater OS engagement in the future included knowledge, guidelines, and resources, but also social and structural support. These are aspects that could be strengthened by promoting explicit implementation of OS practices in higher education and by nurturing a more inclusive and equitable OS culture. We argue that incorporating OS in teaching and learning of science can yield substantial benefits to the research community, student learning, and ultimately, to the wider societal objectives of science and higher education.

160. Ethnic inequalities in patient satisfaction with primary health care in England: Evidence from recent General Practitioner Patient Surveys (GPPS).

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Magadi JP, Magadi MA.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to improve understanding of factors that contribute to persistent ethnic disparities in patient satisfaction in England. The specific objectives are to (i) examine ethnic differences in patient satisfaction with their primary care in England; and (ii) establish factors that contribute to ethnic differences in patient satisfaction. DATA AND METHODS: The study is based on secondary analysis of recent General Practitioner Patient Survey (GPPS) datasets of 2019, 2020 and 2021. Descriptive bivariate analysis was used to examine ethnic differences in patient satisfaction across the three years. This was followed with multilevel linear regression, with General Practice (GP) at level-1 and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) at level-2 to identify factors contributing to ethnic differences in patient satisfaction. RESULTS: The findings show consistent negative correlations between the proportion of patients reporting good (very or fairly good) overall experience and each of the ethnic minority groups. Further examination of the distribution of patient satisfaction by ethnicity, based on combined ethnic minority groups, depicted a clear negative association between ethnic minority group and patient satisfaction at both GP and CCG levels. Multilevel regression analysis identified several service-related factors (especially ease of using GP website and being treated with care and concern) that largely explained the ethnic differences in patient satisfaction. Of all factors relating to patient characteristics considered in the analysis, none was significant after controlling for GP service-related factors. CONCLUSIONS: Ethnic minority patients in England continue to consistently report lower satisfaction with their primary health care in recent years. This is largely attributable to supply (service related) rather than demand (patient characteristics) factors. These findings have important implications for health care system policy and practice at both GP and CCG levels in England.

161. Protocol for a mixed methods feasibility and implementation study of a community-based integrated care model for home-dwelling older adults: The INSPIRE project.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Yip O, Mendieta MJ, Zullig LL

BACKGROUND: Evaluations of integrated care models for home-dwelling frail older adults have shown inconclusive results on health and service outcomes. However, limited research has focused on the implementation of integrated care models. Applying implementation science methods may facilitate uptake of integrated care models, thus generating positive outcomes e.g., reduced hospital admissions. This paper describes the protocol to assess the feasibility of an integrated care model (featuring a four-step comprehensive geriatric assessment: screening, a multi-dimensional assessment, a coordinated individualized care plan and follow-up) designed for a new community-based center for home-dwelling older adults in Switzerland. The study includes the following objectives: 1) to assess implementation by a) monitoring respondents to the outreach strategies and describing the Center's visitors; b) assessing implementation outcomes related to the care model (i.e., adoption, acceptability, feasibility, fidelity) and implementation processes related to collaboration; and 2) assessing implementation costs. METHODS: For objective 1a, we will use a descriptive design to assess respondents to the outreach strategies and describe the Center's visitors. We will use a parallel convergent mixed methods design for objective 1b. Implementation outcomes data will be collected from meetings with the Center's staff, interviews with older adults and their informal caregivers, and reviewing older adults' health records at the Center. Implementation processes related to collaboration will be assessed through a questionnaire to external collaborators (e.g., GPs) towards the end of the study. For objective 2, implementation costs will be calculated using time-driven activity-based costing methods. Data collection is anticipated to occur over approximately six months. DISCUSSION: This study of a contextually adapted integrated care model will inform adaptations to the outreach strategies, care model and implementation strategies in one community center, prior to evaluating the care model effectiveness and potentially scaling out the intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Feasibility study registration ID with clinicaltrials.gov: NCT05302310; registration ID with BMC: ISRCTN12324618.

162. The influence of fake news on face-trait learning.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 21

Eggleston A, Cook R, Over H.

163. The impact of ultrasound-based antenatal screening strategies to detect vasa praevia in the United Kingdom: An exploratory study using decision analytic modelling methods.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 20

Ruban-Fell B, Attilakos G, Haskins-Coulter T

The objective of this exploratory modelling study was to estimate the effects of second-trimester, ultrasound-based antenatal detection strategies for vasa praevia (VP) in a hypothetical cohort of pregnant women. For this, a decision-analytic tree model was developed covering four discrete detection pathways/strategies: no screening; screening targeted at women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF); screening targeted at women with low-lying placentas (LLP); screening targeted at women with velamentous cord insertion (VCI) or a bilobed or succenturiate (BL/S) placenta. Main outcome measures were the number of referrals to transvaginal sonography (TVS), diagnosed and undiagnosed cases of VP, overdetected cases of VCI, and VP-associated perinatal mortality. The greatest number of referrals to TVS occurred in the LLP-based (2,083) and VCI-based screening (1,319) pathways. These two pathways also led to the highest proportions of pregnancies diagnosed with VP (VCI-based screening: 552 [78.9% of all pregnancies]; LLP-based: 371 [53.5%]) and the lowest proportions of VP leading to perinatal death (VCI-based screening: 100 [14.2%]; LLP-based: 196 [28.0%]). In contrast, the IVF-based pathway resulted in 66 TVS referrals, 50 VP diagnoses (7.1% of all VP pregnancies), and 368 (52.6%) VP-associated perinatal deaths which was comparable to the no screening pathway (380 [54.3%]). The VCI-based pathway resulted in the greatest detection of VCI (14,238 [99.1%]), followed by the IVF-based pathway (443 [3.1%]); no VCI detection occurred in the LLP-based or no screening pathways. In conclusion, the model results suggest that a targeted LLP-based approach could detect a substantial proportion of VP cases, while avoiding VCI overdetection and requiring minimal changes to current clinical practice. High-quality data is required to explore the clinical and cost-effectiveness of this and other detection strategies further. This is necessary to provide a robust basis for future discussion about routine screening for VP.

164. The microbiome shifts throughout the gastrointestinal tract of Bradford cattle in the Pampa biome.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 20

de Freitas AS, Gan FC, de David DB

A deep understanding of the cattle gastrointestinal microbiome is crucial to selective breeding high-efficiency animals that produce more and generate less environmental damage. Here we performed the taxonomic identification of Bacterial and Archaeal communities using high throughput 16SrRNA gene sequencing from critical compartments of the gastrointestinal tract of Bradford cattle raised in a natural grassland in the Pampa biome, Brazil. We analyzed 110 samples, including saliva, ruminal fluid, and feces from 36 months old Bradford heifers (weighing on average 343 ± 30 kg by the sampling time). To reduce unexpected variation and confounders, we selected the animals from the same breed, submitted them to the same food source, and collected the samples for three consecutive years from different animals in the same season. Our main goal was to analyze the microbial shifts throughout the gastrointestinal tract to reference future works proposing management strategies and interventions to improve animal nutrition and increase production in the Pampa Biome. To accomplish our objective, we accessed the microbial community differences in groups with a high and low weight gain controlling for food ingestion and quality of grazed pasture. Few taxa were shared among the samples. About 40% of the phyla and 60% of the genera were unique from saliva samples, and 12.4% of the microbial genera were uniquely found in feces. All samples shared only 36.1% of phyla and 7.5% of genera. Differences in microbial diversity and taxa counts were observed. The ruminal fluid presented the lowest microbial richness, while saliva and feces presented the highest microbial richness. On the other hand, saliva and feces also presented more distinct communities between themselves when compared with ruminal samples. Our data showed that the saliva microbiome is not representative of the rumen microbiome and should not be used as an easy-to-collect sample for studies about the rumen microbiome.

165. A pragmatic parallel arm randomized-controlled trial of a multi-pronged electronic health record-based clinical decision support tool protocol to reduce low-value antipsychotic prescriptions among older adults with Alzheimer's and related dementias.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 20

Mafi JN, Walling AM, Villaflores C

Among patients with Alzheimer's disease and its related dementias (ADRD) with behavioral disturbances, antipsychotic prescriptions have limited efficacy and increase the risk of death. Yet, physicians continue to routinely prescribe low-value antipsychotic medications for behavioral disturbances among patients with ADRD. We designed a pragmatic randomized-controlled trial to measure the impact of a behavioral economic electronic health record (EHR) clinical decision support (CDS) intervention to reduce physician prescriptions of new antipsychotic medications among patients with ADRD. Utilizing a pragmatic parallel arm randomized-controlled trial design, the study will randomize eligible physicians from a large academic health system to either receive a EHR CDS intervention or not (control) when they prescribe a new antipsychotic medication during visits with patients with ADRD. The intervention will include three components: 1) alerts prescribers that antipsychotic prescriptions increase mortality risk (motivating physicians' intrinsic desire for non-malfeasance); 2) offers non-pharmacological behavioral resources for caregivers; 3) auto-defaults the prescription to contain the lowest dose and number of pill-days (n = 30) without refills if the prescriber does not cancel the order (appealing to default bias). Over 1 year, we will compare the cumulative total of new antipsychotic pill-days prescribed (primary outcome) by physicians in the intervention group versus in the control group. The study protocol meets international SPIRIT guidelines. Behavioral economics, or the study of human behavior as a function of more than rational incentives, considering a whole host of cognitive and social psychological preferences, tendencies, and biases, is increasingly recognized as an important conceptual framework to improve physician behavior. This pragmatic trial is among the first to combine two distinct behavioral economic principles, a desire for non-malfeasance and default bias, to improve physician prescribing patterns for patients with ADRD. We anticipate this trial will substantially advance understanding of how behavioral-economic informed EHR CDS tools can potentially reduce harmful, low-value care among patients with ADRD.

166. Quantitative evaluation of Mycobacterium abscessus clinical isolate virulence using a silkworm infection model.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 20

Matsumoto Y, Fukano H, Hasegawa N

167. Characterization of aerosols generated by high-power electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS): Influence of atomizer, temperature and PG:VG ratios.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 20

Dibaji SAR, Oktem B, Williamson L

168. A reinforcement learning approach to improve the performance of the Avellaneda-Stoikov market-making algorithm.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 20

Falces Marin J, Díaz Pardo de Vera D, Lopez Gonzalo E.

169. Socioeconomic disparities in diabetes prevalence and management among the adult population in Bangladesh.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 20

Ahsan KZ, Iqbal A, Jamil K

170. Bidirectional association between depression and diabetic nephropathy by meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 20

Fang T, Zhang Q, Wang Z

171. The clinical effectiveness of REGEN-COV in SARS-CoV-2 infection with Omicron versus Delta variants.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 2

Gershengorn HB, Patel S, Ferreira T

BACKGROUND: In vitro studies suggesting that REGEN-COV (casirivimab plus imdevimab monoclonal antibodies) had poor efficacy against Omicron-variant SARS-CoV-2 infection led to amendment of REGEN-COV's Emergency Use Authorization to recommend use only in regions without high Omicron prevalence. REGEN-COV's relative clinical effectiveness for Omicron is unknown. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of non-hospitalized adults who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction at the University of Miami Health System from July 19 -November 21, 2021 (Delta period) and December 6, 2021 -January 7, 2022 (Omicron period). Subjects were stratified be REGEN-COV receipt within 72h of test positivity and by time period of infection. We constructed multivariable logistic regression models to assess the differential association of REGEN-COV receipt with hospitalization within 30 days (primary outcome) and ED presentation; all models included three exposure terms (REGEN-COV receipt, Omicron vs Delta period, interaction of REGEN-COV with time period) and potential confounders (vaccination status, vaccine boosting, cancer diagnosis). Our cohort consisted of 2,083 adults in the Delta period (213 [10.2%] received REGEN-COV) and 4,201 in the Omicron period (156 [3.7%] received REGEN-COV). Hospitalization was less common during the Omicron period than during Delta (0.9% vs 1.7%, p = 0.78) and more common for patients receiving REGEN-COV than not (5.7% vs 0.9%, p<0.001). After adjustment, we found no differential association of REGEN-COV use during Omicron vs Delta with hospitalization within 30d (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] for the interaction term: 2.31 [0.76-6.92], p = 0.13). Similarly, we found no differential association for hospitalization within 15d (2.45 [0.63-9.59], p = 0.20) or emergency department presentation within 30d (1.43 [0.57-3.51], p = 0.40) or within 15d (1.79 [0.65-4.82], p = 0.30). CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study's power to detect a difference, we identified no differential effectiveness of REGEN-COV in the context of Omicron vs Delta SARS-CoV-2 infection.

172. New predictive model of the touchdown times in a high level 110 m hurdles.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 2

Iwasaki R, Nunome H, Nozawa K.

173. Nanopore sequencing data analysis using Microsoft Azure cloud computing service.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 2

Truong L, Ayora F, D'Orsogna L

174. Longitudinal analyses and predictive factors of radiation-induced lung toxicity-related parameters after stereotactic radiotherapy for lung cancer.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 2

Yamamoto T, Katsuta Y, Sato K

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate changes in longitudinal parameters after stereotactic radiotherapy for lung cancer and to identify possible pretreatment factors related to radiation-induced lung toxicity and the decline in pulmonary function after radiotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Protocol-specified examinations, including 4-D CT, laboratory tests, pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and body composition measurements, were performed before SRT and at 1 month, 4 months and 12 months after stereotactic radiotherapy. Longitudinal differences were tested by using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Correlations were examined by using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r). RESULTS: Sixteen patients were analyzed in this study. During a median follow-up period of 26.6 months, grade 1 and 2 lung toxicity occurred in 11 patients and 1 patient, respectively. The mean Hounsfield units (HU) and standard deviation (SD) of the whole lung, as well as sialylated carbohydrate antigen KL-6 (KL-6) and surfactant protein-D (SP-D), peaked at 4 months after radiotherapy (p = 0.11, p<0.01, p = 0.04 and p<0.01, respectively). At 4 months, lung V20 Gy (%) and V40 Gy (%) were correlated with changes in SP-D, whereas changes in the mean HU of the lung were related to body mass index and lean body mass index (r = 0.54, p = 0.02; r = 0.57, p = 0.01; r = 0.69, p<0.01; and r = 0.69, p<0.01, respectively). The parameters of PFTs gradually declined over time. When regarding the change in PFTs from pretreatment to 12 months, lung V5 Gy (cc) showed significant correlations with diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), DLCO/alveolar volume and the relative change in DLCO (r = -0.72, p<0.01; r = -0.73, p<0.01; and r = -0.63, p = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that some parameters peaked at 4 months, but PFTs were the lowest at 12 months. Significant correlations between lung V5 Gy (cc) and changes in DLCO and DLCO/alveolar volume were observed.

175. Preliminary study on the effect of catabolite repression gene knockout on p-nitrophenol degradation in Pseudomonas putida DLL-E4.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 2

Li S, Tang Y, Tang L

176. Characterization of a proteomic profile associated with organ dysfunction and mortality of sepsis and septic shock.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 2

Ruiz-Sanmartín A, Ribas V, Suñol D

177. Incidence of macrosomia in Mexico: National and subnational estimations.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 2

Avendaño-Alvarez F, Monterrubio-Flores E, Omaña-Guzmán I

178. Optimising a method for aragonite precipitation in simulated biogenic calcification media.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 2

Kellock C, Castillo Alvarez MC, Finch A

179. Vitamin E supplementation improves post-transportation systemic antioxidant capacity in yak.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 2

Zhang L, Wang Z, Zhou P

180. COVID-19 vaccine acceptability, and uptake among people living with HIV in Uganda.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 2

Muhindo R, Okoboi S, Kiragga A

BACKGROUND: Despite being a priority population for COVID-19 vaccination, limited data are available regarding acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines among people living with HIV (PLWH) in Sub-Saharan Africa. We described COVID-19 vaccine acceptability and factors associated with vaccine acceptability among PLWH in Uganda. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among PLWH, aged ≥18 years, enrolled participants who were seeking HIV care from six purposely selected accredited ART clinics in Kampala. We obtained data on vaccine acceptability defined as willingness to accept any of the available COVID-19 vaccines using interviewer-administered questionnaires. In addition, we assessed vaccination status, complacency regarding COVID-19 disease, vaccine confidence, and vaccine convenience. Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptability were evaluated using modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors. RESULTS: We enrolled 767 participants of whom 485 (63%) were women. The median age was 33 years [interquartile range (IQR) 28-40] for women and 40 years [IQR], (34-47) for men. Of the respondents 534 (69.6%,95% confidence interval [CI]: 66.3%-72.8%) reported receiving at least one vaccine dose, with women significantly more likely than men to have been vaccinated (73% vs. 63%; p = 0.003). Among the unvaccinated 169 (72.7%, 95% CI: 66.6%-78.0%) were willing to accept vaccination, had greater vaccine confidence (85.9% had strong belief that the vaccines were effective; 81.9% that they were beneficial and 71% safe for PLWH; 90.5% had trust in health care professionals or 77.4% top government officials), and believed that it would be easy to obtain a vaccine if one decided to be vaccinated (83.6%). Vaccine acceptability was positively associated with greater vaccine confidence (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 1.44; 95% CI: 1.08-1.90), and positive perception that it would be easy to obtain a vaccine (aPR 1.57; 95% CI: 1.26-1.96). CONCLUSION: vaccine acceptance was high among this cohort of PLWH, and was positively associated with greater vaccine confidence, and perceived easiness (convince) to obtained the vaccine. Building vaccine confidence and making vaccines easily accessible should be a priority for vaccination programs targeting PLWH.

181. Mechanism of LH release after peripheral administration of kisspeptin in cattle.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 2

Leonardi CEP, Carrasco RA, Dias FCF

Kisspeptin modulates GnRH secretion in mammals and peripheral administration of 10-amino acid fragment of kisspeptin (Kp10) induces LH release and ovulation in cattle. Experiments were done to determine if iv administration of kisspeptin will activate GnRH neurons (i.e., after crossing the blood-brain barrier) and if pre-treatment with a GnRH receptor blocker will alter kisspeptin-induced LH release (from gonadotrophs) and ovulation. In Experiment 1, cows (n = 3 per group) were given human-Kisspeptin10 (hKp10; 3 x 15 mg iv at 60-min intervals) or normal saline and euthanized 150 min after treatment was initiated. Every 20th free-floating section (50 μm thickness) from the preoptic area to hypothalamus was double immunostained to colocalize GnRH- (DAB) and activated neurons (cFOS; Nickel-DAB). Kisspeptin induced plasma LH release from 15 to 150 min (P = 0.01) but the proportion of activated GnRH neurons did not differ between groups (5.8% and 3.5%, respectively; P = 0.11). Immunogold electron microscopy detected close contacts between kisspeptin fibers and GnRH terminals in the median eminence. In Experiment 2, pubertal heifers (n = 5 per group) were treated with 1) hKp10 iv, 2) Cetrorelix (GnRH antagonist; im) + hKp10 iv or 3) saline on Day 6 of the follicular wave under low-progesterone condition. A rise in plasma LH concentration was detected from 15 to 240 min in the hKp10 group but not in cetrorelix or control group (P<0.001). Ovulations were detected only in the hKp10 group (4/5; P = 0.02). Cetrorelix treatment was associated with regression of the preovulatory dominant follicle and emergence of a new follicular wave 3.4±0.75 days after the treatment in all five heifers. Results support the hypothesis that the effect of peripheral kisspeptin is mediated downstream of GnRH synthesis and does not involve GnRH-independent LH release from gonadotrophs. Peripheral kisspeptin may release pre-synthesized GnRH from the nerve terminals in areas outside the blood-brain barrier.

182. An evaluation of a volumetric method for the flow cytometric determination of residual leukocytes in blood transfusion units.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Maličev E, Železnik K, Jazbec K.

183. Mitochondrial DNA haplogroup analysis in Saudi Arab patients with multiple sclerosis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Al-Kafaji G, Alwehaidah MS, Alsabbagh MM

Previous studies have suggested that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants are associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), a complex neurodegenerative immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system. Since mtDNA is maternally inherited without recombination, specific mtDNA variants defining genetic background are associated with the susceptibility to human diseases. To assess the contribution of mtDNA haplogroups to the predisposition of MS in an Arab population, we analysed sequencing data of mitochondrial genomes from 47 native Saudi Arab individuals including 23 patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and 24 healthy controls. All patients and controls could be classified into ten haplogroups. The European-specific haplogroup U was more prevalent in patients than in the controls (26.1% vs. 4.2%), whereas haplogroup T was only present in patients and haplogroups HV and N were only found in controls. Haplogroup U was significantly association with increased risk of MS (odds ratio = 6.26, p<0.05), although the association did not maintain significance after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Haplotype U was more prevalent in patients with younger age of onset (p = 0.006), but there was no relationship between haplotype U and disease severity, disease duration or EDSS and age-matched carriers and non-carriers of haplogroup U (p>0.05). Definition site of haplogroup U include the variant m.12308A>G in MT-TL2 gene which was found to affect highly conserved position within the variable arm of tRNALeu(CUN) and thus may impact mitochondrial protein synthesis, and two other variants namely m.11467A>G in MT-ND4 gene and m.12372G>A in MT-ND5 gene which were previously linked with mitochondrial function. Despite the small number of subjects, which may limit the statistical power of the study, our results showed for the first time a possible contribution of haplogroup U to the predisposition to MS in an Arab population. These findings warrant further validation in a large cohort to distinguish a genuine effect specific to MS from a chance finding due to small sampling.

184. Qualitative analysis from the social referents perspective of the multidimensional construct of schoolchildren's motor competence.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Segura-Berges M, Peñarrubia-Lozano C, Lizalde-Gil M

185. Correction: Retraction: Application of sewage sludge combined with thiourea improves the growth and yield attributes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes under arsenic-contaminated soil.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

PLOS ONE Editors.

186. Family caregivers' perspectives on the acceptability of four interventions proposed for rural transitional care: A multi-method study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Fox MT, Butler JI, Sidani S

BACKGROUND: There is a critical need for hospital-to-home transitional care interventions to prepare family caregivers for patients' post-discharge care in rural communities. Four evidence-based interventions (named discharge planning, treatments, warning signs, and physical activity) have the potential to meet this need but family caregivers' perspectives on the acceptability of the interventions have not been examined. This gap is significant because unacceptable interventions are unlikely to be used or used as designed, thereby undermining outcome achievement. Accordingly, this study examined the perceived acceptability of the four interventions to rural family caregivers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multi-method descriptive design was used. The quantitative method entailed the administration of an established scale to assess the interventions' perceived acceptability to family caregivers. The qualitative method involved semi-structured interviews to explore family caregivers' perceived acceptability of the interventions in greater depth, including acceptable and unacceptable aspects, in the context of their own transitional care experience. Participants were the family caregivers of a relative who had been discharged home in a rural community from an acute care hospital in Ontario, Canada. RESULTS: The purposive sample included 16 participants who were mostly middle-aged women (n = 14; 87.5%) caring for a parent (n = 9; 56.3%) at high risk for hospital readmission. The mean scores on the acceptability measure were 3 or higher for all interventions, indicating that, on average, the four interventions were perceived as acceptable. In terms of acceptable aspects, four themes were identified: the interventions: 1) involve family caregivers and proactively prepare them for discharge, 2) provide clear, written, and detailed guidance, 3) place the onus on healthcare providers to initiate communication, and 4) ensure post-discharge follow-up. In terms of unacceptable aspects, one theme was identified: the physical activity intervention would be challenging to implement. DISCUSSION: The findings support implementing the four interventions in practice throughout the hospital-to-home transition. Healthcare providers should assess family caregivers' comfort in participating in the physical activity intervention and tailor their role accordingly.

187. Utility of carotid ultrasound on prediction of 1-year mortality in emergency department patients with neurological deficits: A 10-year population-based cohort study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Chen CH, Sung CW, Jeng JS

188. The association between social factors and COVID-19 protective behaviors and depression and stress among midwestern US college students.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Garcia Colato E, Ludema C, Rosenberg M

189. Whole transcriptome expression profiles in kidney samples from rats with hyperuricaemic nephropathy.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Li N, Amatjan M, He P

190. Modeling post-holiday surge in COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania counties.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Ren B, Hwang WT.

191. Photoacoustic tomography versus cone-beam computed tomography versus micro-computed tomography: Accuracy of 3D reconstructions of human teeth.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Schneider SJM, Höhne C, Schneider M

OBJECTIVES: In this in-vitro study, teeth were imaged using photoacoustic tomography (PAT), cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), and micro-computed tomography (μ-CT). The study had aim: to identify the best wavelength for PAT images to determine the accuracy of the three imaging methods, and to determine whether PAT images of teeth can achieve acceptable reconstruction quality. METHODS: Nineteen human mandibular single-rooted incisors were extracted from patients with trauma or periodontitis. To determine the best wavelength for acquiring photoacoustic images, all 19 teeth were scanned in vitro with PAT, using different laser wavelengths between 680 and 960 nm. The images were analyzed using image analysis software. To assess the accuracy of PAT and compare it with the accuracy of CBCT, each tooth was also scanned in vitro using CBCT and the reference standard technique of μ-CT. Subsequently, three different three-dimensional models, one for each imaging technique, were created for each tooth. Finally, the three different three-dimensional models acquired for the same tooth were matched and analyzed regarding volume and surface. RESULTS: The highest quality tooth images were achieved using the 680 nm wavelength, which showed the best contrast ratio. The full geometry of the dental root (μ-CT compared with PAT) could be visualized with relative standard deviations of 0.12 mm for the surface and -7.33 mm3 for the volume (n = 19). The full geometry of the dental root (μ-CT compared with CBCT) could be visualized with relative standard deviations of 0.06 mm for the surface and -14.56 mm3 for the volume (n = 19). The difference between the PAT-μ-CT group and CBCT-μ-CT group regarding the total average of the root surface area was not significant (p>0.06). CONCLUSION: Images, which were acquired using PAT at 680nm showed the best contrast ration, enabling the identification of dentin, cementum and the dental pulp. No significant differences were found between the PAT-μ-CT group and CBCT-μ-CT group regarding the total average of the RSA and the total volume. Thus, three-dimensional reconstructions based on in-vitro PAT are already of acceptable reconstruction quality.

192. Identification of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents based on flavor/fragrance compositions that inhibit the interaction between the virus receptor binding domain and human angiotensin converting enzyme 2.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Nishimura Y, Nomiyama K, Okamoto S

193. Breaking the cycles of violence with narrative exposure: Development and feasibility of NETfacts, a community-based intervention for populations living under continuous threat.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Schmitt S, Robjant K, Elbert T

BACKGROUND: Interpersonal violence damages mental health and frequently leads to aggressive defence strategies. If survivors are subsequently blamed for the events, both consequences worsen. Stigma flourishes, especially when survivors are silenced so that details of the trauma remain unknown. Breaking the secrecy both at the individual and collective level is key to enable the healing and reconciliation of individuals and communities living under continuous threat. METHOD: The NETfacts health system is a stepped care model with three components: (1) Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), an evidence-based trauma therapy that includes survivor testimony (2) NET for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation (FORNET) acknowledges that perpetrators are frequently also victims and assists in reducing aggression and the attraction to violence, and (3) a community intervention disseminating and discussing Facts derived from NET treatment (NETfacts) to challenge the collective avoidance of atrocities and other traumatic material. The intervention was piloted in a community with 497 adult residents in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The willingness of clients to consent to sharing their anonymised testimonies (with a focus on sexual violence survivors and ex-combatants) was investigated, together with other components of feasibility including security and clinical safety, extent of support of respected local authorities and participation rates. As secondary outcomes, clinical and social measures were assessed before and post NETfacts among 200 village residents of whom 160 self-enrolled and 40 had not participated in any form of treatment. RESULTS: Implementation was feasible with 248 clients from a partner project giving consent to use their testimonies and high support of respected local authorities and participation rates (56% of residents self-enrolled in NETfacts). Immediate beneficial effects were shown for posttraumatic stress and rejection of rape myths among NETfacts participants who experienced multiple traumatic events in their own past. Attitudes towards ex-combatants improved and the perceived lack of social acknowledgement after trauma increased independent from participation. No significant change was observed for depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: NETfacts is a feasible and promising approach to challenge the culture of secrecy surrounding trauma, suppression and social exclusion. Long term effectiveness requires further evaluation.

194. Secretome from human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells promotes blood vessel formation and pericyte coverage in experimental skin repair.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 19

Silveira BM, Ribeiro TO, Freitas RS

195. Medical cost of acute diarrhea in children in ambulatory care.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Sánchez X, Leal G, Padilla A

196. The impact of holistic review on correlations between doctoral student outcomes, and GPA and GRE scores in the biomedical sciences.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Walters T, Abeyta A, Bean AJ

197. Does off-farm employment contribute to chemical fertilizer reduction? New evidence from the main rice-producing area in Jilin Province, China.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Lang Y, Wang G, Attipoe SG

198. The impact of augmented feedback (and technology) on learning and teaching cricket skill: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Tissera K, Orth D, Huynh M

Augmented feedback, including that provided using technology, can elicit multifaceted benefits on perceptual-motor learning and performance of sporting skills. However, current considerations of the applied value in supporting learning and teaching cricket skill is limited. This systematic review with meta-analysis aimed to understand the role and effectiveness of feedback-involved interventions on skill-based performance outcomes in cricket-related research. Six electronic databases were searched (SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO). Of 8,262 records identified, 11 studies met inclusion criteria; five of which were included in meta-analyses. Given no studies with an isolated feedback intervention-arm were identified, the two meta-analyses explored anticipation-based studies consisting of an intervention that included augmented feedback; positioned with respect to the key motor skill concepts of perception (anticipation accuracy) and action (performance success). Despite results highlighting improved performance outcomes for the feedback-involved intervention groups, with a large effect size for improved anticipation accuracy (Hedge's g = 1.21, 95% CIs [-0.37, 2.78]) and a medium effect size for overall performance success (Hedge's g = 0.55, 95% CIs [-0.39, 1.50]), results were not statistically significant and should be interpreted with caution given the wide confidence intervals. Considering the small number of studies available, in addition to the lack of isolated feedback protocols, further research is warranted to thoroughly explore the impact of augmented feedback on skill-based performance in cricket. Beyond the meta-analyses, the review also explored all included studies from an ecological dynamics perspective; presenting future avenues of research framed around evaluating the applied value of using augmented feedback (mediated with or without technology) for learning and teaching skill in cricket. Trial registration The protocol was preregistered with Open Science Framework (osf.io/384pd).

199. Psychometric evaluation of the interpersonal needs questionnaire in the Indonesian language.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Pandia V, Fitriana E, Afriandi I

200. Development of Ebola virus disease prediction scores: Screening tools for Ebola suspects at the triage-point during an outbreak.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Tshomba AO, Mukadi-Bamuleka DR, De Weggheleire A

BACKGROUND: The control of Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreaks relies on rapid diagnosis and prompt action, a daunting task in limited-resource contexts. This study develops prediction scores that can help healthcare workers improve their decision-making at the triage-point of EVD suspect-cases during EVD outbreaks. METHODS: We computed accuracy measurements of EVD predictors to assess their diagnosing ability compared with the reference standard GeneXpert® results, during the eastern DRC EVD outbreak. We developed predictive scores using the Spiegelhalter-Knill-Jones approach and constructed a clinical prediction score (CPS) and an extended clinical prediction score (ECPS). We plotted the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROCs), estimated the area under the ROC (AUROC) to assess the performance of scores, and computed net benefits (NB) to assess the clinical utility (decision-making ability) of the scores at a given cut-off. We performed decision curve analysis (DCA) to compare, at a range of threshold probabilities, prediction scores' decision-making ability and to quantify the number of unnecessary isolation. RESULTS: The analysis was done on data from 10432 subjects, including 651 EVD cases. The EVD prevalence was 6.2% in the whole dataset, 14.8% in the subgroup of suspects who fitted the WHO Ebola case definition, and 3.2% for the set of suspects who did not fit this case definition. The WHO clinical definition yielded 61.6% sensitivity and 76.4% specificity. Fatigue, difficulty in swallowing, red eyes, gingival bleeding, hematemesis, confusion, hemoptysis, and a history of contact with an EVD case were predictors of EVD. The AUROC for ECPS was 0.88 (95%CI: 0.86-0.89), significantly greater than this for CPS, 0.71 (95%CI: 0.69-0.73) (p < 0.0001). At -1 point of score, the CPS yielded a sensitivity of 85.4% and specificity of 42.3%, and the ECPS yielded sensitivity of 78.8% and specificity of 81.4%. The diagnostic performance of the scores varied in the three disease contexts (the whole, fitting or not fitting the WHO case definition data sets). At 10% of threshold probability, e.g. in disease-adverse context, ECPS gave an NB of 0.033 and a net reduction of unnecessary isolation of 67.1%. Using ECPS as a joint approach to isolate EVD suspects reduces the number of unnecessary isolations by 65.7%. CONCLUSION: The scores developed in our study showed a good performance as EVD case predictors since their use improved the net benefit, i.e., their clinical utility. These rapid and low-cost tools can help in decision-making to isolate EVD-suspicious cases at the triage point during an outbreak. However, these tools still require external validation and cost-effectiveness evaluation before being used on a large scale.

201. Clinical practice guideline adherence in oncology: A qualitative study of insights from clinicians in Australia.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Bierbaum M, Rapport F, Arnolda G

BACKGROUND: The burden of cancer is large in Australia, and rates of cancer Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) adherence is suboptimal across various cancers. METHODS: The objective of this study is to characterise clinician-perceived barriers and facilitators to cancer CPG adherence in Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from 33 oncology-focused clinicians (surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and haematologists). Clinicians were recruited in 2019 and 2020 through purposive and snowball sampling from 7 hospitals across Sydney, Australia, and interviewed either face-to-face in hospitals or by phone. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim, and qualitative thematic analysis of the interview data was undertaken. Human research ethics committee approval and governance approval was granted (2019/ETH11722, #52019568810127). RESULTS: Five broad themes and subthemes of key barriers and facilitators to cancer treatment CPG adherence were identified: Theme 1: CPG content; Theme 2: Individual clinician and patient factors; Theme 3: Access to, awareness of and availability of CPGs; Theme 4: Organisational and cultural factors; and Theme 5: Development and implementation factors. The most frequently reported barriers to adherence were CPGs not catering for patient complexities, being slow to be updated, patient treatment preferences, geographical challenges for patients who travel large distances to access cancer services and limited funding of CPG recommended drugs. The most frequently reported facilitators to adherence were easy accessibility, peer review, multidisciplinary engagement or MDT attendance, and transparent CPG development by trusted, multidisciplinary experts. CPGs provide a reassuring framework for clinicians to check their treatment plans against. Clinicians want cancer CPGs to be frequently updated utilising a wiki-like process, and easily accessible online via a comprehensive database, coordinated by a well-trusted development body. CONCLUSION: Future implementation strategies of cancer CPGs in Australia should be tailored to consider these context-specific barriers and facilitators, taking into account both the content of CPGs and the communication of that content. The establishment of a centralised, comprehensive, online database, with living wiki-style cancer CPGs, coordinated by a well-funded development body, along with incorporation of recommendations into point-of-care decision support would potentially address many of the issues identified.

202. Mapping of UK Biobank clinical codes: Challenges and possible solutions.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Stroganov O, Fedarovich A, Wong E

203. Teaching lessons learnt by civil-engineering teachers from the COVID-19 pandemic at the University of Burgos, Spain.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Revilla-Cuesta V, Skaf M, Espinosa AB

The COVID-19 lockdown in Spain caused abrupt changes for students following the Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Burgos when face-to-face classes switched to online teaching. The recovery of face-to-face teaching after lockdown meant that classes were taught with obligatory social distancing and the use of masks. Teachers were therefore unable to interact with students closely, to perceive their facial expressions during class, or to conduct group work. The changes to civil-engineering teaching linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lessons that civil-engineering teachers learnt from the new teaching scenarios are studied in this paper. The reflections of teachers throughout all three stages of the pandemic (pre-pandemic and lockdown, during lockdown, and post-lockdown), and the qualitative and mixed analysis of their responses to a survey of open-ended questions contributed to the identification of six major lessons: (1) asking questions and using real-time quiz tools enliven classes and help to determine which concepts to emphasize for proper student understanding; (2) autonomous student learning can be promoted through the provision of supplementary documentation and the digitalization of solutions to classroom exercises; (3) virtual site visits and real visual examples interspersed with explanations bring concepts closer to their real applications; (4) the delivery of projects in the form of audio-recorded presentations enable their distribution, so that other students can also learn from them as well as the students who created them; (5) online videoconferences, adapted to the concepts that are addressed, facilitate fast and flexible communication with students; and (6) online continuous-assessment exams can promote better student learning patterns and final-exam preparation. Nevertheless, these six lessons were drawn from the experience of teachers at a small Spanish university where the period of solely online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic lasted only four months. Thus, it would be interesting to analyze the experience of civil-engineering teachers at larger universities and universities that had longer periods of solely online teaching. A study of the level of implementation of the six aspects when the pandemic is declared over might also be worthwhile.

204. Applicability of the Padua scale for Chinese rheumatic in-patients with venous thromboembolism.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Peng Q, Chen X, Han Y

205. Identification of inverse kinematic parameters in redundant systems: Towards quantification of inter-joint coordination in the human upper extremity.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Khoramshahi M, Roby-Brami A, Parry R

206. Man's best friend(s): Effects of a brief befriending meditation on human-animal relations.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Simonsson O, Goldberg SB, Osika W.

207. Contingency management to promote smoking cessation in people experiencing homelessness: Leveraging the electronic health record in a pilot, pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 16

Molina MF, Hall SM, Stitzer M

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is disproportionately high among people experiencing homelessness (PEH). Contingency management (CM) is a strategy that has shown considerable efficacy for smoking cessation and has been used in short-term studies of smoking abstinence in PEH. We describe a pilot, pragmatic randomized controlled trial protocol, which leverages an electronic health record (EHR) infrastructure to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an extended CM intervention to improve long-term abstinence in PEH. METHODS: We will conduct the study at three safety-net clinics in San Francisco among 90 adults experiencing homelessness who smoke cigarettes currently and have a desire to quit. We will encourage all participants to receive smoking cessation services that include behavioral counseling and pharmacotherapy through their clinics. We will randomly assign participants to an extended CM intervention group with escalating incentives contingent on abstinence or to a control group with fixed incentives for attending study visits. We will use the EHR to recruit participants, track receipt of counseling and pharmacotherapy during clinical care, and communicate with providers on participants' progress. CM participants will get escalating incentives for demonstration of carbon monoxide-verified abstinence over 6 months, with a total possible earnings of $475. Control participants will receive a fixed incentive of $5 for attending study visits, totaling $125. We will conduct the carbon-monoxide verified abstinence assessments-which will determine CM incentive amounts-daily during week 1, bi-weekly through week 4, weekly through week 13, and monthly through week 24. Measures of feasibility and acceptability, both quantitative and qualitative, will include assessments of screening and recruitment, adherence to study visits, engagement in smoking cessation clinical care, retention, and participant satisfaction. One of the primary clinical outcomes will be biochemically verified 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 6 months. We will measure secondary outcomes, which will include 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 2 weeks, 3 and 12 months. DISCUSSION: This trial will allow us to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a CM cessation intervention among PEH. The protocol's clinical setting and use of EHRs gives it significant potential for scalability. If found to be feasible, acceptable, and subsequently efficacious in a larger trial, the intervention could reduce tobacco-related health disparities by increasing long-term smoking abstinence among this vulnerable population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04982952. Registered on July 29, 2021.

208. Therapeutic effect of ibrutinib, a selective Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in orbital fibroblasts from patients with Graves' orbitopathy.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Park HY, Chae MK, Ko J

PURPOSE: Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is an essential protein in B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling pathway and is known to be related to pathogenetic effect on B-cell related malignancies and various autoimmune diseases. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of ibrutinib, an orally bioavailable BTK inhibitor in the pathogenesis of Graves' orbitopathy (GO) in in vitro model. METHODS: Expression of BTK in orbital tissues from GO and normal control subjects were evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Primary cultured orbital fibroblasts from each subject were exposed to ibrutinib and stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1β or insulin like growth factor (IGF)-1. Production of inflammatory cytokines was evaluated by real time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The downstream transcription factors were also determined by western blot assays. RESULTS: The expression of BTK in GO tissues were significantly higher than in healthy controls. After stimulation of GO orbital fibroblasts with IL-1β or IGF-1, BTK mRNA and phosphorylated (p)- BTK protein expression was also enhanced. Ibrutinib reduced the expression of BTK mRNA and proteins of p-BTK, and inhibited the IL-1β- and IGF-1-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IL-8 and COX-2 in both GO and normal cells. Ibrutinib also significantly attenuated phosphorylation of Akt, p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B-cells (NF-κB) in IL-1β stimulated GO cells and Akt, JNK, and NF-κB in IL-1ß stimulated normal cells. CONCLUSIONS: BTK expression is enhanced in GO tissue and orbital fibroblasts. Ibrutinib, a BTK inhibitor suppresses proinflammatory cytokine production as well as phosphorylation of Akt and NF-κB protein. Our results suggest the potential role of BTK in GO inflammatory pathogenesis and possibility of a novel therapeutic target of GO.

209. Repositioning of acefylline as anti-cancer drug: Synthesis, anticancer and computational studies of azomethines derived from acefylline tethered 4-amino-3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Shahzadi I, Zahoor AF, Tüzün B

210. Inhibition of c-Rel expression in myeloid and lymphoid cells with distearoyl -phosphatidylserine (DSPS) liposomal nanoparticles encapsulating therapeutic siRNA.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Bressy C, Zemani A, Goyal S

211. Accurate and lightweight MRI super-resolution via multi-scale bidirectional fusion attention network.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Xu L, Li G, Chen Q.

212. Role of the Ca2+ channel α2δ-1 auxiliary subunit in proliferation and migration of human glioblastoma cells.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Fernández-Gallardo M, Corzo-Lopez A, Muñoz-Herrera D

213. Screening for adverse childhood experiences in pediatrics: A randomized trial of aggregate-level versus item-level response screening formats.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Long D, Hessler D, Koita K

BACKGROUND: While there is growing support for screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), rigorous evidence on the efficacy and preference of screening methods is needed. OBJECTIVE: To examine caregiver: (1) rates of disclosure of their child's exposure to ACEs using item-level response (each item can be endorsed) versus aggregate-level response (only total score reported) screening format, (2) associations between family demographic factors and disclosure by screening format, and (3) emotional reaction and experience of screening formats in a diverse, low-income pediatric population. METHODS: Caregiver participants (n = 367) were randomized to complete the Pediatric ACEs and Related Life Events Screener (PEARLS) tool, in an aggregate-level response vs item-level response format from 2016-2019. Select caregivers (n = 182) participated in debriefing interviews. T-test and chi-square analyses in 2019 compared PEARLS disclosure rates and reactions between the screening modalities. Regression models explored interactions with child characteristics. Thematic analysis of interview notes captured caregiver screening experience. RESULTS: PEARLS disclosure rates were significantly higher in the aggregate-level response compared to the item-level response screening arm (p <0.05). This difference was accentuated for children identified as black and/or male (p <0.05). Caregiver reactions to PEARLS screening were rarely negative in either screening format. Qualitative data demonstrated strong caregiver preference for the item-level response format; additional themes include provider relationship, fear with disclosure, and screening outcome expectations. CONCLUSION: While caregivers reported a preference for the item-level response format, the aggregate-level response screening format elicited higher disclosures rates particularly for children who are black or ma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trial registry: NCT04182906.

214. Neuromuscular blockade in mechanically ventilated pneumonia patients with moderate to severe hypoxemia: A multicenter retrospective study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Baek MS, Kim JH, Lim Y

215. Temporal aspects of unrealistic optimism and robustness of this bias: A longitudinal study in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Izydorczak K, Antoniuk K, Kulesza W

216. Prioritization of carceral spending in U.S. cities: Development of the Carceral Resource Index (CRI) and the role of race and income inequality.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Skaathun B, Maviglia F, Vo A

BACKGROUND: Policing, corrections, and other carceral institutions are under scrutiny for driving health harms, while receiving disproportionate resources at the expense of prevention and other services. Amidst renewed interest in structural determinants of health, roles of race and class in shaping government investment priorities are poorly understood. METHODS: Based on the Social Conflict Model, we assessed relationships between city racial/ economic profiles measured by the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) and budgetary priorities measured by the novel Carceral Resource Index (CRI), contrasting investments in carceral systems with funding for health and social support across the 50 most populous cities in the United States (U.S.). Bivariate correlations, and unadjusted and adjusted polynomial regression models were used to assess the relationship between budgetary investments and population concentration at extremes in terms of income, racial/ethnic composition, and education, controlling for other demographic characteristics. RESULTS: In our sample, median CRI was -0.59 (IQR -0.64, -0.45), with only seven cities exhibiting positive CRI values. This indicates that most large U.S. cities spend more on carceral systems than on health and supportive services, combined. Adjusted polynomial models showed a convex relationship between the CRI and ICE-Education, and ICE-Race(White vs. Black)+Income, with quadratic terms that were positive and significant at p<0.05. After controlling for age, the strongest prioritization of carceral systems was observed in cities where the proportion of low-income Black residents approached or exceeded that of high-income white residents. CONCLUSIONS: Municipal prioritization of carceral investments over health and social support is pervasive in the U.S and exacerbated by racial and economic disparities. The CRI offers new opportunities to understand the role of government investments as a structural determinant of health and safety. Longitudinal research is warranted to examine the relationship between budget priorities, structural racism, and health outcomes.

217. The Economics of a "portion size reduction" policy.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Hosni H, Giannakas K.

218. Delineation of traditional village boundaries: The case of Haishangqiao village in the Yiluo River Basin, China.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Liu L, Liu Z.

219. Using machine learning to study the effect of medication adherence in Opioid Use Disorder.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Warren D, Marashi A, Siddiqui A

BACKGROUND: Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and opioid overdose (OD) impose huge social and economic burdens on society and health care systems. Research suggests that Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) is effective in the treatment of OUD. We use machine learning to investigate the association between patient's adherence to prescribed MOUD along with other risk factors in patients diagnosed with OUD and potential OD following the treatment. METHODS: We used longitudinal Medicaid claims for two selected US states to subset a total of 26,685 patients with OUD diagnosis and appropriate Medicaid coverage between 2015 and 2018. We considered patient age, sex, region level socio-economic data, past comorbidities, MOUD prescription type and other selected prescribed medications along with the Proportion of Days Covered (PDC) as a proxy for adherence to MOUD as predictive variables for our model, and overdose events as the dependent variable. We applied four different machine learning classifiers and compared their performance, focusing on the importance and effect of PDC as a variable. We also calculated results based on risk stratification, where our models separate high risk individuals from low risk, to assess usefulness in clinical decision-making. RESULTS: Among the selected classifiers, the XGBoost classifier has the highest AUC (0.77) closely followed by the Logistic Regression (LR). The LR has the best stratification result: patients in the top 10% of risk scores account for 35.37% of overdose events over the next 12 month observation period. PDC score calculated over the treatment window is one of the most important features, with better PDC lowering risk of OD, as expected. In terms of risk stratification results, of the 35.37% of overdose events that the predictive model could detect within the top 10% of risk scores, 72.3% of these cases were non-adherent in terms of their medication (PDC <0.8). Targeting the top 10% outcome of the predictive model could decrease the total number of OD events by 10.4%. CONCLUSIONS: The best performing models allow identification of, and focus on, those at high risk of opioid overdose. With MOUD being included for the first time as a factor of interest, and being identified as a significant factor, outreach activities related to MOUD can be targeted at those at highest risk.

220. A systematic review with meta-analysis of the effects of smoking cessation strategies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Lopez-Olivo MA, Sharma G, Singh G

221. Contrast of oropharyngeal leak pressure and clinical performance of I-gel™ and LMA ProSeal™ in patients: A meta-analysis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Tan Y, Jiang J, Wang R.

BACKGROUND: Conflicting outcomes have been reported for the i-gel™ and laryngeal mask airway (LMA) ProSeal™ in children and adults during general anesthesia. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that yielded wide contrast outcomes between i-gel™ and LMA ProSeal™ were included in this meta-analysis. METHODS: Two authors independently identified RCTs that compared i-gel™ with LMA ProSeal™ among patients receiving general anesthesia by performing searches in EMBASE, Cochrane, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. Discussion was adopted to resolve disagreements. Data were counted with Review Manger 5.3 and pooled by applying weighted mean difference (MD) and rlsk ratio (RR), and related 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: A total of 33 RCTs with 2605 patients were included in the meta-analysis. I-gel™ provided a considerably lower oropharyngeal leak pressure [weighted average diversity (MD) = -1.53 (-2.89, -0.17), P = 0.03], incidence of blood staining on the supraglottic airway devices [RR = 0.44, (0.28, 0.69), P = 0.0003], sore throat [RR = 0.31 (0.18, 0.52), P<0.0001], and a short insertion time [MD = -5.61 (-7.71, -3.51), P<0.00001] than LMA ProSeal™. Compared with LMA ProSeal™, i-gel™ offered a significantly higher first-insertion success rate [RR = 1.03 (1.00, 1.06), P = 0.03] and ease of insertion [RR = 1.06 (1.01, 1.11), P = 0.03]. The gastric-tube-placement first insertion rate [RR = 1.04 (0.99, 1.10), P = 0.11], laryngospasm [RR = 0.76 (0.17, 3.31), P = 0.72], and cough [RR = 1.30 (0.49, 3.44), P = 0.60] between the two devices were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Both devices could achieve a good seal to provide adequate ventilation. Compared with the used LMA ProSeal™, the i-gel™ was found to have fewer complications (blood stainning, sore throat) and offers certain advantages (short insertion time, higher first-insertion success rate and ease of insertion) in patients under general anesthesia.

222. Analysis of the factors influencing the college students' employment willingness under the strategy of "strengthening the provincial capital".

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Zhang Y, Tian X, Sohail MT.

223. Association between physical health and physical activity behaviors for children aged 3-6 years in kindergarten: A cross-sectional study from China.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Xiong X, Zhang W, An Y

224. Greater volumes of a callosal sub-region terminating in posterior language-related areas predict a stronger degree of language lateralization: A tractography study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Karpychev V, Bolgina T, Malytina S

225. Perceived stress and stress responses during COVID-19: The multiple mediating roles of coping style and resilience.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Gao Q, Xu H, Zhang C

226. Bibliometric analysis of the global research trends and hotspots in chordoma from 2000 to 2020.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Chang C, Tang K, Gao Y

227. 40 years of research on eating disorders in domain-specific journals: Bibliometrics, network analysis, and topic modeling.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Almenara CA.

228. Cardiometabolic deaths attributable to poor diet among Kuwaiti adults.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Al-Lahou B, Ausman LM, Peñalvo JL

229. Decentralized governance may lead to higher infection levels and sub-optimal releases of quarantines amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Lampert A.

230. Optimizing time and split application of nitrogen fertilizer to harness grain yield and quality of bread wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.) in northwestern Ethiopia.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Derebe B, Bitew Y, Asargew F

231. Impact role stress on turnover intentions of Pakistan's healthcare workers: Mediating and moderating role of organizational cynicism and self-efficacy.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Nazir T, Umer M, Najam M

Nurses make up most of the global healthcare system, thus justifying their significance in the respective industry. The healthcare profession is amongst the very few careers that are attributed to a very high level of stress and imbalanced work-life equilibrium. Over past decades, the said nature of work has been observed to coerce countless nurses to leave their respective organizations. Considering this, the current study primarily evaluates the impact of role stressors on the turnover intentions of nurses employed in the healthcare industry of Pakistan. Secondly, the study examines the mediatory role of organizational cynicism between the role stressors and turnover intentions to explain the escalating trend of nurses intending to leave the industry. Lastly, it assesses the moderating role of self-efficacy between the organizational cynicism and the intended turnover of a nurse, to gauge the amount of variation self-efficacy can cause to mitigate the negative attitudes of employed individuals. The current study was conducted in the twin metropolitans of Pakistan i.e., Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A total of 394 responses were statistically evaluated using SmartPLS 3.0. The results of the current study indicated a significant impact of role stressors on the turnover intentions of nurses. Also, organizational cynicism was observed as a significant mediator between role stressors and turnover intentions. Further, self-efficacy as well was observed as a significant moderator between organizational cynicism and the intent of healthcare workers to leave the organization. The present study addressed the conceptual research gap by exploring the direct cumulative effect of role stress (role ambiguity, role conflict, role stressors, work-family conflict) in developing the intents of professionals to quit their employing organizations, the mediatory role of organizational cynicism, and the moderation effect of self-efficacy between the undertaken variables. While in terms of abridging the contextual research gap, the current study evaluated the proposed research model within the healthcare sector of Pakistan. The findings of the current study commended the management personnel of the healthcare industry to provide the nurses with healthy professional environments to work in, as well as catering to their professional and personal expectations to a better extent. Hence, increasing the ownership of an individual depicted towards his/her employing organization.

232. Spatial characterization of the effect of age and sex on macular layer thicknesses and foveal pit morphology.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Romero-Bascones D, Ayala U, Alberdi A

Characterizing the effect of age and sex on macular retinal layer thicknesses and foveal pit morphology is crucial to differentiating between natural and disease-related changes. We applied advanced image analysis techniques to optical coherence tomography (OCT) to: 1) enhance the spatial description of age and sex effects, and 2) create a detailed open database of normative retinal layer thickness maps and foveal pit shapes. The maculae of 444 healthy subjects (age range 21-88) were imaged with OCT. Using computational spatial data analysis, thickness maps were obtained for retinal layers and averaged into 400 (20 x 20) sectors. Additionally, the geometry of the foveal pit was radially analyzed by computing the central foveal thickness, rim height, rim radius, and mean slope. The effect of age and sex on these parameters was analyzed with multiple regression mixed-effects models. We observed that the overall age-related decrease of the total retinal thickness (TRT) (-1.1% per 10 years) was mainly driven by the ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) (-2.4% per 10 years). Both TRT and GCIPL thinning patterns were homogeneous across the macula when using percentual measurements. Although the male retina was 4.1 μm thicker on average, the greatest differences were mainly present for the inner retinal layers in the inner macular ring (up to 4% higher TRT than in the central macula). There was an age-related decrease in the rim height (1.0% per 10 years) and males had a higher rim height, shorter rim radius, and steeper mean slope. Importantly, the radial analysis revealed that these changes are present and relatively uniform across angular directions. These findings demonstrate the capacity of advanced analysis of OCT images to enhance the description of the macula. This, together with the created dataset, could aid the development of more accurate diagnosis models for macular pathologies.

233. Feeding injury of major lepidopteran soybean pests in South America.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Carpane PD, Llebaria M, Nascimento AF

Lepidopteran pests are major factors limiting soybean productivity in South America. In some cases, effective management of these species requires the use of foliar insecticides. For sustainable use of these insecticides, they should only be applied when insect population size exceeds an economic threshold. Since this estimation requires to determine the consumption of different species, this work aimed to integrate all these factors, studying the consumption of small (less than 1 cm long) and medium (1 to 1.5 cm long) size larvae of major lepidopteran pests to vegetative and reproductive tissues on Bt (M7739IPRO variety, containing the event MON87701 which expresses the Cry1Ac protein from Bacillus thuringiensis) and non-Bt (BMX Desafio RR variety) soybeans. The feeding injury to vegetative tissues was tested in detached-leaf assays in grow chambers, and for reproductive structures the study was conducted in greenhouse with infestations at early (flowering) and mid reproductive (mid grain filling) stages. Based on the feeding behavior of the species tested, they were cast in four groups: a) Anticarsia gemmatalis and Chrysodeixis includens, defoliating only the RR variety with the lowest consumption of foliar area; b) Spodoptera eridania, defoliating both RR and IPRO varieties, consuming twice than the species mentioned above; c) Helicoverpa armigera, defoliating and being the most damaging species to pods in the RR variety; and d) S. cosmioides and S. frugiperda, defoliating and damaging pods in both varieties. The species differed in their ability to feed on IPRO varieties, so a different economic threshold should be considered. Consequently, in cases where more than one species are found simultaneously, the species composition should be considered in estimating the economic threshold. Additionally, our findings may contribute to a better decision-making to control insect feeding injury in IPRO varieties, because a slower larval growth provides more time to ensure the need of control with insecticides. In summary, this clasification contributes to an improved recommendation of sustainable insecticide use, taking into account the behavior of each species that are major soybeans pests in South America.

234. Knowledge, attitudes, practices, and its associated factors toward COVID-19 pandemic among Bangladeshi older adults.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Roy D, Shuvo SD, Hossain MS

BACKGROUND: The newly emerged COVID-19 has an unprecedented impact on all classes of people, particularly the elderly. The knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of older adults toward COVID-19 are currently unknown. This study aimed to investigate the KAP and its associated factors toward COVID-19 among older adults in Bangladesh. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to May 2021 among Bangladeshi older adults. Face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from five selected divisions in Bangladesh using simple random sampling. The questionnaire consisted of socio-demographic characteristics, disease conditions, and KAP toward COVID-19. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Out of 900 respondents, the majority of older adults (82.9%) indicated that COVID-19 is a viral disease and the major clinical symptom of COVID-19 (86.5%). Only 22.1% of participants always washed their hands with soap or hand sanitizer, and 27.6% wore a mask to protect against the virus when going outside the home. Overall, 55.2% had adequate knowledge, 50.2% had positive attitudes toward COVID-19 and only 22.7% had good practices. Out of 30 scores, mean score values were 20.8±6.7 in the knowledge section, 21.2±4.3 in the attitude section, and 11.3±6.7 in the practice section out of 30. In binary logistic regression analysis, factors associated with poor knowledge, and practices were being male, aged >70 years, having a primary education, less income <5000BDT, and multimorbidity (p < 0.05). Participants having poor knowledge of COVID-19 had higher likelihood of negative attitudes (OR: 6.79, 95% CI = 4.87-9.47, p < 0.001) and poor practices (OR: 9.15, 95% CI = 6.94-13.16, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings highlight the need for immediate implementation of health education programs and adequate intervention programs for COVID-19 which integrates consideration of associated factors to improve the level of older adults' knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

235. Sea lamprey nests promote the diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Dhamelincourt M, Rives J, Pons M

The habitat heterogeneity hypothesis states that increased habitat heterogeneity promotes species diversity through increased availability of ecological niches. We aimed at describing the local-scale (i.e. nest and adjacent substrate) effects of nests of the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus L.) as ecosystem engineer on macroinvertebrate assemblages. We hypothesized that increased streambed physical heterogeneity caused by sea lamprey spawning would modify invertebrate assemblages and specific biologic traits and promote reach-scale diversity. We sampled thirty lamprey nests of the Nive River, a river of the south western France with a length of 79.3 km and tributary of the Adour River, in three zones: the unmodified riverbed (upstream) and zones corresponding to the nest: the area excavated (pit) and the downstream accumulation of pebbles and cobbles (mound). The increased habitat heterogeneity created by lamprey was accompanied by biological heterogeneity with a reduced density of invertebrates (3777 ± 1332 individuals per m2 in upstream, 2649 ± 1386 individuals per m2 in pit and 3833 ± 1052 individuals per m2 in mound) and number of taxa (23.5 ± 3.9 taxa for upstream, 18.6 ± 3.9 taxa in pit and 21.2 ± 4.5 taxa for mound) in the pit compared to other zones. However the overall taxa diversity in nest increased with 82 ± 14 taxa compared to the 69 ± 8 taxa estimated in upstream zone. Diversity indices were consistent with the previous results indicating a loss of α diversity in pit but a higher β diversity between a pit and a mound than between two upstream zones, especially considering Morisita index accounting for taxa abundance. Trait analysis showed high functional diversity within zones with a reduced proportion of collectors, scrapers, shredders, litter/mud preference and small invertebrates in mound, while the proportion of "slabs, blocks, stones and pebbles" preference and largest invertebrates increased. Pit presented the opposite trend, while upstream had globally intermediate trait proportions. Our results highlight important effects on species and functional diversity due to habitat heterogeneity created by a nest-building species, what can ultimately influence food webs and nutrient processes in river ecosystems.

236. The effect of exercise-induced fatigue and heat exposure on soccer-specific decision-making during high-intensity intermittent exercise.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Donnan KJ, Williams EL, Stanger N.

237. Is the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species by macrophages associated with better infectious control in female mice with experimentally disseminated and pulmonary mucormycosis?

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Santos ARD, Fraga-Silva TF, Almeida-Donanzam DF

238. Incidence, time to recovery and predictors among neonates admitted with respiratory distress to the neonatal intensive care unit at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, 2021.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 15

Enyew EF, Bitew DA, Gelagay AA.

BACKGROUND: One of the major factors contributing to newborn morbidity and mortality across the globe is respiratory distress. In resource-constrained developing nations like Ethiopia, it is a significant issue. Depending on the quality of the care provided, the incidence and time to recovery may differ amongst medical facilities. However, Ethiopia still lacks appropriate data on the incidence and time to recovery from respiratory distress. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the incidence, time to recovery, and predictors among neonates admitted with respiratory distress in the neonatal intensive care unit at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. METHODS: An institution-based retrospective follow-up study design was conducted among 452 neonates with respiratory distress. Data were collected using a data extraction checklist from the medical registry. The extracted data were entered into EPI INFO version 7.2.1.0 and then exported to STATA version 14 for analysis. The median time to recovery, the Kaplan Meier curve, and the log-rank test was computed. Both bi-variable and multivariable Cox regression models were applied to analyze the data. p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Of all respiratory distressed neonate,311 were recovered. The overall incidence rate of neonates admitted with from respiratory distress was 11.5 per 100-neonate day (95% CI: 10.30-12. 87) with 2,703-person day observation and the median time to recovery from respiratory distress was 7 days with (IQR = 3-13 days). Predictors of time to recovery from respiratory distress were very low birth weight (AHR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.08-0.41), low birth weight (AHR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31-0.81), very preterm (AHR = 0.42,95% CI:0.20-0.89), sepsis (AHR = 0.50 95% CI: 0.38-0.65), hypothermia (AHR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.39-0.81), and Apgar scores less than seven at first (AHR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.15-0.79) and fifth minute (AHR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.20-0.97). CONCLUSION: The incidence and time to recovery in this study were discreetly acceptable as compared to previous study. The aforementioned predictors could be used to identify neonates with respiratory distress who are at risk of developing a long-term illness and guide prompt referral to hospitals. This will also provide clinicians with prognostic information, as longer recovery times have economic and social implications in resource limited countries like Ethiopia.

239. Psychometric properties of three online-related addictive behavior instruments among Bangladeshi school-going adolescents.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Islam MS, Jahan I, Dewan MAA

240. Establishment of preanalytical conditions for microRNA profile analysis of clinical plasma samples.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Suzuki K, Yamaguchi T, Kohda M

The relationship between the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in blood and a variety of diseases has been investigated. MiRNA-based liquid biopsy has attracted much attention, and cancer-specific miRNAs have been reported. However, the results of analyses of the expression of these miRNAs vary among studies. The reproduction of results regarding miRNA expression levels could be difficult if there are differences in the data acquisition process. Previous studies have shown that the anticoagulant type used during plasma preparation and sample storage conditions could contribute to differences in measured miRNA levels. Thus, the impact of these preanalytical conditions on comprehensive miRNA expression profiles was examined. First, the miRNA expression profiles of samples obtained from healthy volunteers were analyzed using next-generation sequencing. Based on an analysis of the library concentration, human genome identification rate, ratio of unique sequences and expression profiles, the optimal preanalytical conditions for obtaining highly reproducible miRNA expression profiles were established. The optimal preanalytical conditions were as follows: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as the anticoagulant, whole-blood storage at room temperature within 6 hours, and plasma storage at 4°C or -20°C within 30 days. Next, plasma samples were collected from 60 cancer patients (3 facilities × 20 patients/facility), and miRNA expression profiles were analyzed. There were no significant differences in measurements except in the expression of erythrocyte-derived hsa-miR-451a. However, the variation in hsa-miR-451a levels was smaller among facilities than among individuals. This finding suggests that samples obtained from the same facility could show significantly different degrees of hemolysis across individuals. We found that the standardization of anticoagulant use and storage conditions contributed to reducing the variation in sample quality across facilities. The findings from this study could be useful in developing protocols for collecting samples from multiple facilities for cancer screening tests.

241. Evaluation of the Kaira COVID-19/Flu/RSV Detection Kit for detection of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/B, and respiratory syncytial virus: A comparative study with the PowerChek SARS-CoV-2, influenza A&B, RSV Multiplex Real-time PCR Kit.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Kim TY, Bae GE, Kim JY

242. Development of a 3D simulator for training the mouse in utero electroporation.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Nuber M, Gonzalez-Uarquin F, Neufurth M

243. JACLNet:Application of adaptive code length network in JavaScript malicious code detection.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Zhang Z, Wan L, Chu K

244. I could hang up if the practitioner was a prat": Australian men's feedback on telemental healthcare during COVID-19.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Seidler ZE, Wilson MJ, Oliffe JL

The COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, uncertainties and management inconsistencies have been implicated in men's rising distress levels, which in turn have somewhat normed the uptake of telemental healthcare services (i.e., phone and/or video-conference-based therapy). Given past evidence of poor engagement with telemental health among men, this mixed-methods study examined Australian men's use of, and experiences with telemental health services relative to face-to-face care during the pandemic. A community sample of Australian-based men (N = 387; age M = 47.5 years, SD = 15.0 years) were recruited via Facebook advertising, and completed an online survey comprising quantitative items and open-response qualitative questions with the aim of better understanding men's experiences with telemental healthcare services. In total, 62.3% (n = 241) of participants reported experience with telemental health, and regression analyses revealed those who engaged with telemental health were on average younger, more likely to be gay and university educated. Men who had used telemental health were, on average, more satisfied with their therapy experience than those who had face-to-face therapy. Among those who had telemental healthcare, marginally lower satisfaction was observed among regional/rural based relative to urban men, and those who had to wait longer than 2 months to commence therapy. Qualitative findings highlighted positive aspects of telemental healthcare including comfort with accessing therapy from familiar home environments and the convenience and accessibility of telemental health alongside competing commitments and COVID-19 restrictions. Conversely, drawbacks included technical limitations such as crosstalk impeding therapeutic progress, disconnects and audio-visual lag-times and the 'impersonal' nature of telemental healthcare services. Findings broadly signal COVID-19 induced shifts norming of the use of virtual therapy services, with clear scope for improvement in the delivery of therapeutic practice using digital modalities, especially among help-seeking men.

245. Clinical implications of Type 2 diabetes on outcomes after cardiac transplantation.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Chouairi F, Mullan CW, Ahmed A

246. Shifts in floristic composition and structure in Australian rangelands.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Baruch Z, Guerin G, Martín-Forés I

Monitoring shifts in vegetation composition over time is essential for tracking biodiversity changes and for designing ecosystem management strategies. In Australia, the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) provides a continent-wide network of monitoring sites (AusPlots) that can be used to assess the shifts in vegetation composition and structure of Australian Major Vegetation Groups (MVGs). Here we use time-series site data to quantify the extent and rate of MVG shifts between repeat visits and to recommend the most appropriate sampling frequency for specific MVGs. The research area spans a ~1,500 km latitudinal gradient within south/central Australia from arid rangelands in the north to Mediterranean vegetation in the south. The standardized AusPlots protocol was employed to repeatedly survey 103 one-hectare plots, assessed between 2011 and 2019. Floristic and growth form dissimilarities between visits were calculated with distance metrics and then regressed against survey interval. Multivariate ordination was used to explore temporal floristic shifts. Rank-dominance curves were used to display variations in species' importance. Between repeated visits, sites exhibited high variability for all vegetation parameters and trajectories. However, several trends emerged: (a) Species composition moved away from baseline linearly with intervals between surveys. (b) The rate of species turnover was approximately double in communities that are herbaceous versus woody-dominated. (c) Species abundances and growth forms shift at different speeds. All floristic and structural metrics shifted between re-visits, with varying magnitude and speed, but herbaceous-dominated plots showed higher floristic dynamism. Although the expanse, logistics, and the short time between visits constrained our analysis and interpretation, our results suggest that shorter revisit intervals may be appropriate for herbaceous compared to woody systems to track change most efficiently.

247. Comparative study of temperature effects on white sandstone and rockburst-like materials.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Zhu Z, Ma C, Fang Z

Rockburst physical model test, as one of the important means to study deep tunnel engineering, reflects the main influencing factors of rockburst into the model test through similar theory, so as to reveal the formation mechanism, influencing factors and evolution law of different types of rockburst in deep tunnels. In order to study the mechanical properties of white sandstone in deeply buried tunnels at high ground temperatures, materials suitable for conducting rockburst physical and mechanical tests were developed on the basis of the Daqian Shi Ling tunnel project, and similar material ratios were preferentially selected on the basis of white sandstone. Judged by the rock burst propensity, similar materials with low strength and high brittle characteristics, can better simulate the characteristics of white sandstone, and all show a strong propensity to rock burst, is the ideal rock burst similar materials. Uniaxial compressive tests were conducted on similar materials and the original rock at different temperatures, and comparative analysis was performed. Through the study of stress, displacement and modulus of elasticity, it was concluded that the compressive strength of similar materials gradually increased with temperature in the range of 20-100°C, and the vertical displacement at peak strength decreased with increasing temperature. The damage forms of white sandstone and similar materials at different temperatures were comparatively analyzed, and it was obtained that the damage forms of white sandstone and similar materials were basically the same, with a few specimens showing tensile and shear damage, and most specimens showing the form of combined tensile and shear damage. The study of rock burst similar materials and the development of the failure characteristics of rock burst under the action of thermal coupling are of great significance to the mechanism of rock burst generation and prediction.

248. Perceived impacts of a pilot agricultural livelihood and microfinance intervention on agricultural practices, food security and nutrition for Kenyans living with HIV.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Nicastro TM, Pincus L, Weke E

INTRODUCTION: Agriculture is the primary source of income and household food for >75% of rural Kenyans, including people living with HIV (PLHIV), making agricultural yields an important factor in food security and nutrition. Previous studies have shown the interconnectedness of food insecurity, malnutrition, and poor HIV health by elucidating that having one of these conditions increases the likelihood and severity of having another. However, few studies have explored the linkages between agricultural practices, food security and nutrition for PLHIV, or how agricultural livelihood interventions may affect these domains. This study aimed to examine the mechanisms through which an agricultural livelihood intervention can positively or negatively affect agricultural practices, food security, and nutrition for PLHIV. METHODS: From July 2012-August 2013, we interviewed participants with HIV on antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrolled in a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) of an agricultural livelihood and finance intervention to understand the mechanisms through which the intervention may have affected HIV health outcomes. The intervention included agricultural and finance training and a microfinance loan to purchase the MoneyMaker hip pump, a human-powered water pump, seeds, and other farming implements. A purposive sample of 45 intervention and a random subset of 9 control participants were interviewed at 12-month endline visit with a subset of 31 intervention participants interviewed longitudinally at both the 3- and 12-month visits. Transcripts were double coded using an inductive-deductive approach and analyzed for impacts of the intervention on agricultural practices, food security, and nutrition using analytic reports for each key theme. RESULTS: All intervention participants described improvements in agricultural practices and yields attributed to the intervention while many also described improvements in income; these changes in turn contributed to improved HIV health, including suppressed viral loads, and a few people noted improved immunologic parameters. Key mechanisms included the knowledge gained from agricultural training which led to improved yields and access to new markets. The use of the irrigation pump was also identified as an additional, lesser important mechanism. All intervention participants reported sustained improvements in food security and nutrition through increased yields and income from the sale of excess crops used to purchase food, and diversification of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed through agricultural production. This led to self-reported weight gain which was a nutritional mechanism towards improved health. CONCLUSIONS: Agricultural and finance interventions that improve farming practices could lead to improved health outcomes through the pathways of improved food security, income, and diversified diet. The results from this study helped the team to enhance the intervention prior to implementation of the larger cluster RCT (cRCT). By understanding how agricultural livelihood interventions act upon pathways towards improved health, policy options can be developed and implemented to include components that are needed to achieve sustainable outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01548599.

249. Gut dysbiosis and bacterial translocation in the aneurysmal wall and blood in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Nakayama K, Furuyama T, Matsubara Y

250. Randomized controlled trial: Quantifying the impact of disclosing uncertainty on adherence to hypothetical health recommendations.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Mendoza H, D'Agostino McGowan L.

251. Social media usage of chinese nursing students: Attitudes, motivations, mental health problems, and self-disclosure.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Zhu X, Yang C, Ding L

252. Public support for global vaccine sharing in the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from Germany.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Geissler F, Hartmann F, Humphreys M

253. Parameter estimation for nonlinear sandwich system using instantaneous performance principle.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Li Z, Ma L, Wang Y.

254. Polarization and trust in the evolution of vaccine discourse on Twitter during COVID-19.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Ojea Quintana I, Reimann R, Cheong M

255. Scalable agroinfiltration-based production of SARS-CoV-2 antigens for use in diagnostic assays and subunit vaccines.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Demone J, Maltseva M, Nourimand M

256. Equity in walking access to community home care facility resources for elderly with different mobility: A case study of Lianhu District, Xi'an.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 14

Ning W, Yang Y, Lu M

257. Dissociating selectivity adjustments from temporal learning-introducing the context-dependent proportion congruency effect.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 13

Sprengel M, Tomat M, Wendt M

258. A model for microbial interactions and metabolomic alterations in Candida glabrata-Staphylococcus epidermidis dual-species biofilms.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 13

Salvatore MM, Maione A, La Pietra A

The fungus Candida glabrata and the bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidis are important biofilm-forming microorganisms responsible of nosocomial infections in patients. In addition to causing single-species disease, these microorganisms are also involved in polymicrobial infections leading to an increased antimicrobial resistance. To expand knowledge about polymicrobial biofilms, in this study we investigate the formation of single- and dual-species biofilms of these two opportunistic pathogens employing several complementary approaches. First, biofilm biomass, biofilm metabolic activity and the microbial composition in single- and dual-species biofilms were assessed and compared. Then, the expression of three genes of C. glabrata and three genes of S. epidermidis positively related to the process of biofilm formation was evaluated. Although S. epidermidis is a stronger biofilm producer than C. glabrata, both biological and genetic data indicate that S. epidermidis growth is inhibited by C. glabrata which dominates the dual-species biofilms. To better understand the mechanisms of the interactions between the two microorganisms, a broad GC-MS metabolomic dataset of extracellular metabolites for planktonic, single- and dual-species biofilm cultures of C. glabrata and S. epidermidis was collected. As demonstrated by Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) of GC-MS metabolomic data, planktonic cultures, single- and dual-species biofilms can be sharply differentiated from each other by the nature and levels of an assortment of primary and secondary metabolites secreted in the culture medium. However, according to our data, 2-phenylethanol (secreted by C. glabrata) and the synergistically combined antifungal activity of 3-phenyllactic acid and of the cyclic dipeptide cyclo-(l-Pro-l-Trp) (secreted by S. epidermidis) play a major role in the race of the two microorganisms for predominance and survival.

259. Impact of dedicated neuro-anesthesia management on clinical outcomes in glioblastoma patients: A single-institution cohort study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 13

Gerritsen JKW, Rizopoulos D, Schouten JW

BACKGROUND: Glioblastomas are mostly resected under general anesthesia under the supervision of a general anesthesiologist. Currently, it is largely unkown if clinical outcomes of GBM patients can be improved by appointing a neuro-anesthesiologist for their cases. We aimed to evaluate whether the assignment of dedicated neuro-anesthesiologists improves the outcomes of these patients. We also investigated the value of dedicated neuro-oncological surgical teams as an independent variable in both groups. METHODS: A cohort consisting of 401 GBM patients who had undergone resection was retrospectively investigated. Primary outcomes were postoperative neurological complications, fluid balance, length-of-stay and overall survival. Secondary outcomes were blood loss, anesthesia modality, extent of resection, total admission costs, and duration of surgery. RESULTS: 320 versus 81 patients were operated under the anesthesiological supervision of a general anesthesiologist and a dedicated neuro-anesthesiologist, respectively. Dedicated neuro-anesthesiologists yielded significant superior outcomes in 1) postoperative neurological complications (early: p = 0.002, OR = 2.54; late: p = 0.003, OR = 2.24); 2) fluid balance (p<0.0001); 3) length-of-stay (p = 0.0006) and 4) total admission costs (p = 0.0006). In a subanalysis of the GBM resections performed by an oncological neurosurgeon (n = 231), the assignment of a dedicated neuro-anesthesiologist independently improved postoperative neurological complications (early minor: p = 0.0162; early major: p = 0.00780; late minor: p = 0.00250; late major: p = 0.0364). The assignment of a dedicated neuro-oncological team improved extent of resection additionally (p = 0.0416). CONCLUSION: GBM resections with anesthesiological supervision of a dedicated neuro-anesthesiologists are associated with improved patient outcomes. Prospective evidence is needed to further investigate the usefulness of the dedicated neuro-anesthesiologist in different settings.

260. The cytological and electrophysiological effects of silver nanoparticles on neuron-like PC12 cells.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 13

Zhang Z, Meng C, Hou K

261. Quantitative assessment of depolarization by the retinal pigment epithelium in healthy and glaucoma subjects measured over a large field of view.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 13

Motschi AR, Schwarzhans F, Desissaire S

262. Transfer of weight information depends differently on used hand and handedness for perception and action.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 13

van Polanen V.

263. Have environmental regulations promoted green technological innovation in cities? Evidence from China's green patents.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 13

Zhang M, Xie W, Gao W.

264. Effects of focused ultrasound pulse duration on stimulating cortical and subcortical motor circuits in awake sheep.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 13

Kim HC, Lee W, Kowsari K

265. Stock index trend prediction based on TabNet feature selection and long short-term memory.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 13

Wei X, Ouyang H, Liu M.

266. Comparison between relative and absolute quantitative real-time PCR applied to single-cell analyses: Transcriptional levels in a key neuron for long-term memory in the pond snail.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Hatakeyama D, Chikamoto N, Fujimoto K

267. Do media events still unite the host nation's citizens? The case of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Sakaki T, Kobayashi T, Yoshida M

268. Rapid identification and quantitation of single plant seed allergen using paper-based microfluidics.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Sun X, Liu Y, Niu B

269. Employee perceptions of non-communicable diseases health risks, absenteeism and the role of organisational support in a South African pharmaceutical manufacturing company.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Gradidge PJ, Casteleijn D, Palmeira A

270. Exploration of college teachers' psychological adaptation to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic using potential profile analysis.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Zou W, Ding X, Wang H.

271. Improved regression in ratio type estimators based on robust M-estimation.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Rather KUI, Koçyiğit EG, Onyango R

272. Machine learning models exploring characteristic single-nucleotide signatures in yellow fever virus.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Salgado Á, Melo-Minardi RC, Giovanetti M

273. CHSI costing study-Challenges and solutions for cost data collection in private hospitals in India.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Singh MP, Popli R, Brar S

274. Intelligence against complexity: Machine learning for nonuniform temperature-field measurements through laser absorption.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Kang R, Kyritsis DC, Liatsis P.

275. Whose research benefits more from Twitter? On Twitter-worthiness of communication research and its role in reinforcing disparities of the field.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Chan CH, Zeng J, Schäfer MS.

276. Determinants of cognitive impairment in multiple system atrophy: Clinical and genetic study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Nasri A, Gharbi A, Sghaier I

INTRODUCTION: Classically, cognitive impairment (CI) was not considered as a paramount feature of multiple system atrophy(MSA) in both parkinsonian(MSA-P) and cerebellar(MSA-C) motor-subtypes. Yet, growing evidence indicates currently the commonness of such deficits among MSA patients in different populations. Our aim was to evaluate the cognitive profile of MSA Tunisian patients and to analyze the underlying clinical and genetic determinants. METHODS: In a retrospective cross-sectional study, clinically-diagnosed MSA patients were included. All subjects underwent clinical and neuropsychological assessments to characterize their cognitive profile. The associations with their APOE genotype status were analyzed. Determinant of CI were specified. RESULTS: We included 71 MSA patients. Female gender(sex-ratio = 0.65) and MSA-P subtype(73%) were predominant. Mean age of disease onset was 59.1years. CI was found in 85.7% of patients(dementia in 12.7% and Mild cognitive impairment(MCI) in 73% of patients mainly of multiple-domain amnestic type(37.3%)). Mean MMSE score was lower among MSA-P compared to MSA-C(23.52 vs. 26.47;p = 0.027). Higher postural instability gait disorder(PIGD) and MDS-UPDRS-III scores were noted in demented MSA patients(p = 0.019;p = 0.015 respectively). The main altered cognitive domain was attention(64.8%). Executive functions and mood disorders were more affected in MSA-P(p = 0.029,p = 0.035 respectively). Clinical and neurophysiological study of dysautonomia revealed no differences across cognitive subtypes. APOE genotyping was performed in 51 MSA patients with available blood samples. Those carrying APOEε4 had 1.32 fold higher risk to develop CI, with lower MMSE score(p = 0.0001). Attention and language were significantly altered by adjusting the p value to APOEɛ4 carriers(p = 0.046 and p = 0.044 respectively). Executive dysfunction was more pronounced among MSA-PAPOEε4 carriers(p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: In this study, the main determinants of CI in Tunisian MSA patients were MSA-P motor-subtype, mainly of PIGD-phenotype, disease duration and APOEε4 carrying status, defining a more altered cognitive phenotype. This effect mainly concerned executive, attention and language functions, all found to be more impaired in APOEε4 carriers with variable degrees across MSA motor-subtypes.

277. On the combination of adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system and deep residual network for improving detection rates on intrusion detection.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Liu J, Yinchai W, Siong TC

278. Analysis of the clinical and radiological outcomes of percutaneous cervical nucleoplasty: A case-control study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 12

Chen CH, Chiu YP, Ji HR

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous cervical nucleoplasty (PCN) is a simple, safe, and effective treatment for contained cervical herniated intervertebral disc (CHIVD). However, few studies have compared the actual benefits of PCN against conservative treatment (CT), either clinically or radiographically. PURPOSE: The present study sought to analyze and to compare the outcomes of symptomatic contained CHIVD treated with PCN or CT. METHODS: The present study was designed as a case-control comparative study. Patients who indicated for PCN after a failed CT for more than 6 months were recruited. After the exclusion of some patients who did not meet the selection criteria of the study, we finally enrolled 71 patients treated with PCN. In addition, another 21 patients who indicated for PCN but finally chose to receive CT continuously were also enrolled and categorized as the control group. All patients completed the 6-month follow-up. Pain levels and functional outcomes were evaluated pre- and post-operatively by assessing the visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Neck Disability Index (NDI). Radiographic images of 72 of 104 intervened segments were collected to measure disc height and other cervical spinal alignments, such as range of motion, C2-7 Cobb's angle, and C2-7 sagittal vertical axis. RESULTS: Compared with the CT group, the PCN group showed significantly better outcomes on VAS, ODI, and NDI at the 1-month post-operative follow-up, which continued through at least the 6-month follow-up (P < 0.01 for VAS and P < 0.05 for ODI and NDI). The mean disc height significantly decreased, from 6.04 ± 0.85 mm to 5.76 ± 1.02 mm, 3 months after PCN treatment (P = 0.003). However, the degree of disc height decrease did not correlate with the changes of the substantial VAS improvement. CONCLUSIONS: To provide therapeutic benefits for symptomatic contained CHIVD patients after an invalid CT for 6 months, PCN seems to be a better option than CT. The reduced disc heights did not alter the clinical outcomes of PCN.

279. Transcriptomic signatures in trophectoderm and inner cell mass of human blastocysts classified according to developmental potential, maternal age and morphology.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Kai Y, Mei H, Kawano H

280. Evaluation of co-circulating pathogens and microbiome from COVID-19 infections.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Thissen JB, Morrison MD, Mulakken N

281. Research fellowship in a Lebanese academic medical center: What does it take to shift from an informal to a formal program?

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Chakhtoura M, Karam E, Akl EA

Research fellowship programs help medical graduates acquire research skills for an academic career. While our institution employed a large number of research fellows, it did not offer them a formal training program. This study aimed to assess the views of fellows and their mentors regarding the current research fellowship program, and to seek their suggestions for a formal training program at our medical center. We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using both focus group discussions and individual interviews with research fellows, and individual interviews with their mentors. We recruited all eligible participants by email. We collected data in person and analyzed it thematically. We followed the consolidated criteria for reporting of qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. A total of 17 research fellows and 17 mentors participated in the study. Participants described the current non-formal program and proposed suggestions for a formal training program. The identification of available vacant positions and the recruitment process followed an unstructured approach, through networking with mentors and previous fellows. Although there is a formal contract, there is no job description, and no definition of roles, responsibilities and rights. Some fellows get the opportunity of being involved in all aspects of research and benefit from a favorable mentor-mentee relationship. Conversely, others struggle with authorship and with the projects allocated to them, some being "non-research" related. Not all fellows end up publishing their projects. Participants provided suggestions to shift into a formal training, including measures to improve on the recruitment process of fellows, defining roles and exposure to all aspects of research. Research fellows are eager to learn, but the currently available program is unstructured. They need a formal training program that meets their expectations, one that offers equitable learning opportunities and benefits to all.

282. A randomized, controlled study to assess if allopathic-osteopathic collaboration influences stereotypes, interprofessional readiness, and doctor-patient communication.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Jones IA, LoBasso M, Shapiro J

Despite the growing similarities between allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical education, few studies have examined allopathic-osteopathic collaboration. The following study focused on stereotypes and student readiness for interprofessional learning. Patient perceptions were also evaluated. Osteopathic and allopathic students were randomly allocated 1:1:1 to work in pairs (MD/DO, MD/MD, DO/DO) at the start of each shift. A questionnaire evaluating student communication was collected from patients at the end of each encounter. Surveys assessing stereotypes and interprofessional readiness were obtained from students at the end of each workday. Data collection was stopped early due to Coronavirus-related safety measures. In the ITT analysis, there were a total of 126 participants (57 students 69 patients). A per-protocol analysis was performed to account for repeat clinic volunteers. No significant differences were detected between student pairs; however, the sensitivity analysis of the questionnaire assessing interprofessional readiness was 8 points higher in the DO/DO group compared to the MD/MD and MD/DO groups (P = 0.0503). In the content analysis of qualitative responses, the MD/DO group was more likely to respond with themes of enjoyment and less concern about stereotypes than the DO/DO group. The MD/DO group was also less likely to report concerns about differences in expectations, methods, and thinking than the MD/MD group. Early trends from this study suggest that DO students may be better positioned to engage in interprofessional learning than their MD counterparts. Additionally, the findings from our content analysis provide evidence that the collaborative experience improved feelings associated with professional legitimacy and credibility among DO students. Taken in aggregate, this study provides justification for a follow-up investigation, as well as a framework for how such studies could best be executed in the future.

283. Kidney tumors associated with germline mutations of FH and SDHB show a CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP).

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Ricketts CJ, Killian JK, Vocke CD

284. Inter-sleep stage variations in corrected QT interval differ between obstructive sleep apnea patients with and without stroke history.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Ebrahimian S, Sillanmäki S, Hietakoste S

285. Clinical and economic value of sofosbuvir-based regimens in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in Spain.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Esteban R, Domínguez-Hernández R, Martín-Escudero V

286. Antheraea peptide and its analog: Their influence on the maturation of the reproductive system, embryogenesis, and early larval development in Tenebrio molitor L. beetle.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Walkowiak-Nowicka K, Chowański S, Pacholska-Bogalska J

287. Midwifery centers as enabled environments for midwifery: A quasi experimental design assessing women's birth experiences in three models of care in Bangladesh, before and during covid.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Stevens JR, Sabin LL, Onyango MA

BACKGROUND: The midwifery model of care is a human rights-based approach (HRBA) that is unique and appropriate for the majority of healthy pregnant women, yet full expression may be limited within the medical model. Midwifery centers are facilities designed specifically to enable the practice of midwifery. In high resource countries, they have been shown to be cost effective, evidence-based, avoid over medicalization, and provide safe, efficient and satisfying care. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was used to assess the impact of three models of care on women's experiences of respect, and trust in maternity care provision, both before and during the pandemic in Bangladesh, as well as their fear and knowledge around COVID-19, during the pandemic. The models were: "fully enabled midwifery" ("FEM") in freestanding midwifery centers; "midwifery and medicine" ("MAM") in medical facilities with midwives working alongside nurses and doctors; and "no midwifery" ("NoM") in medical facilities without midwives. Phone survey data were collected and analyzed from all women (n = 1,191) who delivered from Jan 2020-June 2020 at seven health care facilities in Bangladesh. Comparison of means, ANOVA, post hoc Tukey, and effect size were used to explore the differences in outcomes across time periods. FINDINGS: Pre-pandemic, women served by the FEM model reported significantly higher rates of trust and respect (p<0·001) compared to the NoM model, and significantly higher rates of trust (p<0·001) compared to MAM. During the pandemic, in the FEM model, the experiences of respect and trust did not change significantly from the pre-pandemic rates, and were significantly higher than both the MAM and NoM models (p < 0·001). Additionally, during the pandemic, women served by the FEM model had the lowest experience of COVID fear (p<0·001). INTERPRETATION: Fully enabled midwifery in midwifery centers had a significantly positive effect on woman's experience of respect and trust in care compared to the other models, even in the context of a pandemic.

288. Mediation of the association between stigma and HIV status and fertility intention by fertility desire among heterosexual couples living with HIV in Kunming, China.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Guo Y, Wichaidit W, Du Y

289. Changes in psychological distress among Polish medical university teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Wojtera B, Singh N, Iankovitch S

Our study aims to update knowledge about psychological distress and its changes in the Polish group of academic medical teachers after two years of a global pandemic. During the coronavirus disease, teachers were challenged to rapidly transition into remote teaching and adapt new assessment and evaluation systems for students, which might have been a completely novel situation that was not addressed before, especially in medical universities in Poland. We conducted a cross-sectional study at Poznan University of Medical Sciences from March to April 2022. The questionnaire included self-reported information on anxiety, stress, and depression. We found that post-pandemic levels of anxiety, stress, and depression have significantly (p<0.001) improved compared to initial levels at the beginning of coronavirus disease. In multivariate models, females had higher odds of improving levels of anxiety (OR = 0.46; 95% CI = -1.58-(-0.03); p = 0.04), stress (OR = 0.36; 95% CI = -1.83-(-0.22); p = 0.01), and depression (OR = 0.0.37; 95% CI = -1.58-(-0.12); p = 0.03). Anxiety, stress, or depression were not significantly associated with years of experience, the number of taught subjects, and weekly teaching hours, but only with the academic work during COVID-19 (Spearman ranxiety = 0.37, rstress = 0.32, rdepression = 0.37, p<0.001). For the virtual learning concerns, 79% of teachers reported that students might engage less; and it was correlated with higher weekly teaching hours (r = 0.19, p<0.05). Even though only 29.8% reported cheating as a concern, it was correlated with a higher number of taught subjects (r = 0.2, p<0.05). Levels of anxiety, stress, and depression have improved as time passed, not affecting teachers' academic performance. Concerns about virtual learning have been raised, suggesting it may be conjoined with classroom learning but not as an alternative. Universities should highlight the importance of seeking psychological support and provide essential programs to employees. Teachers' coping skills with psychological distress should be further studied.

290. Educational significance and challenges of conducting the objective structured clinical examination twice for midwifery students before and after clinical training: A longitudinal single university study during 2014-2019 in Japan.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Morikawa Y, Watanabe Y, Yamauchi M

This study aimed to clarify the educational significance and issues associated with administering the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) twice to midwifery students, i.e., before and after clinical training. In Sapporo City University in Japan, 37 assessment items of the OSCE were configured as "Overall," with 17 items as midwifery's normal delivery preparation (Part 1) and 20 items as midwifery's normal delivery assistance (Part 2). All students had attended lectures with textbooks. The first and second OSCEs were conducted before and after the clinical training, respectively. The scores of 54 students were retrospectively analyzed over 6 years (2014-2019). The results of the first and second OSCEs were compared. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test, Fisher's exact test, and analysis of variance. The mean scores for "Overall" [0-37], "Part 1" [0-17], and "Part 2" [0-20] in the second OSCEs were significantly higher than those in the first OSCE (Overall: 22.7 vs 19.3, Part 1: 9.50 vs 7.71, Part 2: 13.2 vs 11.6, p<0.05, respectively). Regarding "Overall" and "Part 1," a positive correlation was observed between the first and second OSCEs, wherein the full scores of "Part 1," converted from 17 to 20 points to match the full scores of "Part 2," were significantly lower than those of Part 2 (p<0.05, respectively). There was a positive correlation between the scores of the first and second OSCEs in "Part 1" and "Part 2" (p<0.05). The scores increased between the two OSCEs, and participants could objectively grasp the knowledge and skills. The OSCEs conducted twice were useful in skilling-up the normal delivery preparation and assistance skills of midwifery students. However, developing an advanced educational method might be necessary for the midwifery students' preparation of normal delivery, because the scores in the OSCEs were lower.

291. Willingness to participate in geolocation-based research.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Ochoa Gómez C.

292. Estimating the effects of crime maps on house prices using an (Un)natural experiment: A study protocol.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Zhang ML, Adepeju M, Thomas R.

293. Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions targeted at the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of influenza-like illness in the UK Armed Forces.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Otieno G, Rawlings NN.

INTRODUCTION: Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as lockdown, social distancing and use of face coverings was adopted by the United Kingdom (UK) Armed Forces (AF) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assessed the impact of the use of NPIs on the incidence of influenza-like illness (ILI) in the UK AF. METHODS: A longitudinal study design was adopted, and secondary data was analysed retrospectively. Clinical Read codes for ILI was used to generate data for flu seasons before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (September 2017 to April 2021). RESULTS: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of reporting ILI was ~ 4% across all flu seasons. The count of ILI was 2.9%, 2.2% and 3.1% during 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 flu seasons respectively. During the COVID-19 pandemic, both the rate of reporting ILI (0.6%) and the count of ILI (0.5%) were significantly smaller (p < .001). The rate of reporting ILI was positively correlated with the count of ILI (r (2) = .97, p = .014). Influenza vaccination rate increased by 1.3% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccination rate was negatively correlated with the rate of reporting ILI (r (2) = -.52, p = 0.24) and the count of ILI (r (2) = -.61, p = 0.19). However, this correlation was not significant. The use of NPIs was negatively correlated with the rate of reporting ILI (r (2) = -.99, p = < .001) and the count of ILI (r (2) = -.95, p = 0.026). The overall multiple regression performed was statistically significant (R2 = 0.94, F (1, 2) = 33.628, p = 0.028). The rate of reporting ILI significantly predicted the count of ILI (β = 0.609, p = 0.028) while vaccination rate did not significantly predict the count of ILI (β = -0.136, p = 0.677). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of ILI in the UK AF was significantly reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of NPIs and the rate of reporting ILI significantly reduced the count of ILI. Being vaccinated for influenza did not significantly reduce the count of ILI.

294. Dose- and time-dependent effects of collagenase clostridium histolyticum injection on transverse carpal ligament elastic modulus and thickness in vitro.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Hawk JL, Daulat SR, Margolis DS

295. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cardiac rehabilitation of patients following acute coronary syndrome.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Haskiah F, Jbara R, Minha S

296. Clavis: An open and versatile identification key format.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Koch W, Elven H, Finstad AG.

297. Perception and willingness to accept COVID-19 Vaccines: A cross-sectional survey of the general population of Sokoto State, Nigeria.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Oche OM, Adamu H, Yahaya M

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally is well over 400 million, however, the number of cases is showing a downward trend especially in developed countries largely as a result of effective vaccination against COVID-19. In developing countries, vaccination coverage is still very low as a result of vaccine hesitancy, which could be attributed to misconceptions about COVID-19 itself and its newly developed vaccines. This study assessed COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and perception amongst the adult population in Sokoto state, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Sokoto state among 854 respondents selected via a multi-stage sampling technique. Data was collected electronically using a set of structured questionnaire and analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 25. Respondents' perception was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). Respondents having a score of 3 and below were graded as having poor perception and those having scores above 3 were graded as having good perception. Respondents' ages ranged from 17 to 76 years, with a mean of 34.8±12.07; more than half [474(53.7%)] of the respondents were males, 667(75.5%) were married and 539(61.0%) had formal education. The majority [839(95.0%)] of the respondents had a good perception of COVID -19 vaccine; 49.9% agreed enough research would be required on the safety of the vaccine. The majority, (72.4%) expressed their willingness to accept the COVID- 19 vaccine (male 38.4% vs. female 34.0%); 410(47.4%) said they can spend more than one hour to get the vaccine. Significant predictors of willingness to accept COVID 19 vaccine include age (p = 0.006; aOR = 0.223; 95% CI = 0.077-0.645), education (p<0.001; aOR = 1.720; 95% CI = 1.274-2.321) and perception of COVID 19 vaccine (p<0.001; aOR = 0.020; 95% CI = 0.009-0.044). The majority of the respondents had a good perception of COVID- 19 vaccine and more than two-thirds were willing to be vaccinated with the vaccine. Government should make the vaccine available for vaccination since a significant proportion of the respondents expressed their willingness to accept the vaccine.

298. A systematic review of the 60 year literature: Effects of outreach programs in supporting historically marginalized and first-generation, low-income students in healthcare education.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Jenkins E, Nardo JE, Salehi S.

299. A randomized controlled trial comparing rehabilitation with isokinetic exercises and Thera-Band strength training in patients with functional ankle instability.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Wang B, Zhang X, Zhu F

300. Managing COVID-19 in an Australian designated isolation facility: Implications for current and future healthcare crises based on in-depth interviews.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Achat HM, Mittal R, Stubbs JM

301. Depressive symptoms and HIV risk behaviours among adolescents enrolled in the HPTN071 (PopART) trial in Zambia and South Africa.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Shanaube K, Gachie T, Hoddinott G

BACKGROUND: Mental health is a critical and neglected public health problem for adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper we aim to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and the association with HIV risk behaviours in adolescents aged 15-19 years in Zambia and SA. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey from August-November 2017 in seven control communities of HPTN 071 (PopART) trial (a community-randomised trial of universal HIV testing and treatment), enrolling approximately 1400 eligible adolescents. HIV-status was self-reported. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ), with a positive screen if adolescents scored ≥12. We fitted a logistic regression model to identify correlates of depressive symptoms with subgroup analyses among those who self-reported ever having had sex, by gender and country. RESULTS: Out of 6997 households approached, 6057 (86.6%) were enumerated. 2546 adolescents were enumerated of whom 2120 (83.3%) consented to participate and were administered the SMFQ. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 584/2120 (27.6%) [95%CI: 25.7%-29.5%]. Adolescents in SA were less likely to experience depressive symptoms (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 0.63 (95% CI: 0.50, 0.79), p-value<0.0001). Female adolescents (AOR = 1.46 (95% CI: 1.19, 1.81), p-value<0.0001); those who reported ever having sex and being forced into sex (AOR = 1.80 (95% CI: 1.45, 2.23), p-value<0.001) and AOR = 1.67 (95% CI: 0.99, 2.84); p-value = 0.057 respectively) were more likely to experience depressive symptoms. Among 850 (40.1%) adolescents who self-reported to ever having had sex; those who used alcohol/drugs during their last sexual encounter were more likely to experience depressive symptoms (AOR = 2.18 (95% CI: 1.37, 3.47); p-value = 0.001), whereas those who reported using a condom were less likely to experience depressive symptoms (AOR = 0.74 (95% CI: 0.55, 1.00); p-value = 0.053). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depressive symptoms among adolescents ranged from 25-30% and was associated with increased HIV-risk behaviour.

302. Validity of muscular fitness self-assessments in the ecofit smartphone application: A correlation study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Jansson AK, Lubans DR, Duncan MJ

BACKGROUND: Mobile app-based interventions have the potential for wide-reach and therefore may be a useful tool in up-scaling physical activity interventions. In larger-scale interventions, face-to-face assessments are less cost-effective, and researchers often rely on surveys or activity trackers to assess outcomes. However, there is limited evidence of valid muscular fitness assessments that can be self-administered within mHealth interventions. As such, this study will evaluate the concurrent validity of upper and lower body muscular fitness that have been independently assessed by participants via the ecofit app, and face-to-face assessments conducted by a trained researcher. METHODS: This study compared baseline data from two muscular fitness tests from the ecofit two-armed randomised controlled trial and self-assessed data collected via the ecofit smartphone app (i.e., validated 90-degree push-up and 60-second sit-to-stand test). To assess the concurrent validity, the self-assessed push-up and sit-to-stand tests (i.e., collected via the ecofit app) were correlated using Spearman's correlation coefficient against the researcher-assessed results (i.e., objective results collected during baseline assessment for the ecofit trial). Bland-Altman plots were also used to allow visualisation of the differences between the self- and research-assessed tests. RESULTS: Participants (N = 54) completed the push-up (24.1%) and sit-to-stand (100%) tests within 14-days of receiving the app. The results revealed a strong significant correlation for the push-up test (0.83, p<0.001) and a moderate significant correlation for the sit-to-stand test (0.63, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: This study provides support for the concurrent validity of self-reported upper and lower body muscular fitness assessments (i.e., the push-up and sit-to-stand tests) in mHealth. While these tests may be a feasible option for large scale physical activity interventions, more research is needed to determine the generalisability of these results.

303. The use of 3D digital anatomy model improves the communication with patients presenting with prostate disease: The first experience in Senegal.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Diao B, Bagayogo NA, Carreras NP

304. Brimonidine and timolol concentrations in the human vitreous and aqueous humors after topical instillation of a 0.1% brimonidine tartrate and 0.5% timolol fixed-combination ophthalmic solution: An interventional study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Orii Y, Kunikane E, Yamada Y

PURPOSE: To evaluate the concentrations of brimonidine and timolol in the vitreous and aqueous humors after instillation of a 0.1% brimonidine tartrate and 0.5% timolol fixed-combination ophthalmic solution. METHODS: This single-arm open-label interventional study included patients with macular holes or idiopathic epiretinal membranes who were scheduled for vitrectomy. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. A 0.1% brimonidine tartrate and 0.5% timolol fixed-combination ophthalmic solution was administered topically twice daily for 1 week preoperatively. The vitreous and aqueous humors were sampled before vitrectomy, and brimonidine and timolol concentrations were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem spectrometry. This study was registered with the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT, ID jRCTs051200008; date of access and registration: April 28, 2020). The study protocol was approved by the University of Fukui Certified Review Board (CRB) and complied with the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki. RESULTS: Eight eyes of eight patients (7 phakic eyes and 1 pseudophakic eye) were included in this study. The mean brimonidine concentrations in the vitreous and aqueous humors were 5.04 ± 4.08 nM and 324 ± 172 nM, respectively. Five of the eight patients had brimonidine concentrations >2 nM in the vitreous humor, which is necessary to activate α2 receptors. The mean timolol concentrations in the vitreous and aqueous humors were 65.6 ± 56.0 nM and 3,160 ± 1,570 nM, respectively. Brimonidine concentrations showed significant positive correlations with timolol concentrations in the vitreous humor (P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.97) and aqueous humor (P < 0.0001, R2 = 0.96). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients who received a 0.1% brimonidine tartrate and 0.5% timolol topical fixed-combination ophthalmic solution showed a brimonidine concentration >2 nM in the vitreous humor. Brimonidine and timolol may be distributed in the ocular tissues through an identical pathway after topical instillation.

305. The prognostic impact of lymph node dissection for clinically node-negative upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma in patients who are treated with radical nephroureterectomy.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Hsieh HC, Wang CL, Chen CS

306. Analysis and prediction of the temporal and spatial evolution of carbon emissions in China's eight economic regions.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Yu Z, Zhang Y, Zhang J

Facing increasingly severe environmental problems, as the largest developing country, achieving regional carbon emission reduction is the performance of China's fulfillment of the responsibility of a big government and the key to the smooth realization of the global carbon emission reduction goal. Since China's carbon emission data is updated slowly, in order to better formulate the corresponding emission reduction strategy, it is necessary to propose a more accurate carbon emission prediction model on the basis of fully analyzing the characteristics of carbon emissions at the provincial and regional levels. Given this, this paper first calculated the carbon emissions of eight economic regions in China from 2005 to 2019 according to relevant statistical data. Secondly, with the help of kernel density function, Theil index and decoupling index, the dynamic evolution characteristics of regional carbon emissions are discussed. Finally, an improved particle swarm optimization radial basis function (IPSO-RBF) neural network model is established to compare the simulation and prediction models of China's carbon emissions. The results show significant differences in carbon emissions in different regions, and the differences between high-value and low-value areas show an apparent expansion trend. The inter-regional carbon emission difference is the main factor in the overall carbon emission difference. The economic region in the middle Yellow River (ERMRYR) has the most considerable contribution to the national carbon emission difference, and the main contributors affecting the overall carbon emission difference in different regions are different. The number of regions with strong decoupling between carbon emissions and economic development is increasing in time series. The results of the carbon emission prediction model can be seen that IPSO-RBF neural network model optimizes the radial basis function (RBF) neural network, making the prediction result in a minor error and higher accuracy. Therefore, when exploring the path of carbon emission reduction in different regions in the future, the IPSO-RBF neural network model is more suitable for predicting carbon emissions and other relevant indicators, laying a foundation for putting forward more scientific and practical emission reduction plans.

307. Association between screen time and obesity in US adolescents: A cross-sectional analysis using National Survey of Children's Health 2016-2017.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Bakour C, Mansuri F, Johns-Rejano C

308. ECPPF (E2F1, CCNA2, POLE, PPP2R1A, FBXW7) stratification: Profiling high-risk subtypes of histomorphologically low-risk and treatment-insensitive endometrioid endometrial cancer.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Gonzalez-Bosquet J, Weroha SJ, Bakkum-Gamez JN

In endometrial cancer, occult high-risk subtypes (rooted in histomorphologically low-risk disease) with insensitivity to adjuvant therapies impede improvements in therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, we aimed to assess the ability of molecular high-risk (MHR) and low-risk (MLR) ECPPF (E2F1, CCNA2, POLE, PPP2R1A, FBXW7) stratification to profile recurrence in early, low-risk endometrioid endometrial cancer (EEC) and insensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy or radiotherapy (or both) in high-risk EEC. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas endometrial cancer database, we identified 192 EEC cases with available DNA sequencing and RNA expression data. Molecular parameters were integrated with clinicopathologic risk factors and adverse surveillance events. MHR was defined as high (-H) CCNA2 or E2F1 log2 expression (≥2.75), PPP2R1A mutations (-mu), or FBXW7mu; MLR was defined as low (-L) CCNA2 and E2F1 log2 expression (<2.75). We assessed 164 cases, plus another 28 with POLEmu for favorable-outcomes comparisons. MHR and MLR had significantly different progression-free survival (PFS) rates (P < .001), independent of traditional risk factors (eg, TP53mu), except for stage IV disease. PFS of CCNA2-L/E2F1-L paralleled that of POLEmu. ECPPF status stratified responses to adjuvant therapy in stage III-IV EEC (P < .01) and profiled stage I, grade 1-2 cases with risk of recurrence (P < .001). MHR was associated with CTNNB1mu-linked treatment failures (P < .001). Expression of homologous recombination repair (HR) and cell cycle genes was significantly elevated in CCNA2-H/E2F1-H compared with CCNA2-L/E2F1-L (P<1.0E-10), suggesting that HR deficiencies may underlie the favorable PFS in MLR. HRmu were detected in 20.7%. No treatment failures were observed in high-grade or advanced EEC with HRmu (P = .02). Favorable PFS in clinically high-risk EEC was associated with HRmu and MLR ECPPF (P < .001). In summary, MLR ECPPF and HRmu were associated with therapeutic efficacy in EEC. MHR ECPPF was associated with low-risk, early-stage recurrences and insensitivity to adjuvant therapies.

309. Anthropogenic threats to the Vulnerable Andean Condor in northern South America.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Restrepo-Cardona JS, Parrado MA, Vargas FH

310. A cohort study using IL-6/Stat3 activity and PD-1/PD-L1 expression to predict five-year survival for patients after gastric cancer resection.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Li XN, Peng YH, Yue W

OBJECTIVES: The expression/activation of IL-6, p-Stat3, PD-1 and PD-L1 in gastric cancer (GC) tissues were examined to evaluate their abilities in predicting the survival prognosis in postoperative patients with GC. METHODS: The clinicopathological data and paraffin-embedded tissues of 205 patients who underwent gastric cancer resection were collected at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University School of Medicine, and the patients were followed-up annually after surgery. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the expression of IL-6, p-Stat3, PD-1 and PD-L1 proteins using tissue microarrays derived from these patients. Statistical analyses were performed using non-parametric tests, Spearman's correlation, ROC curves, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, Cox single-factor and multifactor regression models. In comparison, the analyses were also performed for GC patients from public databases (407 patients from TCGA and 433 patients from GEO, respectively). RESULTS: (1) The expression levels of IL-6, p-Stat3, PD-1 and PD-L1 in GC tissues were significantly higher than adjacent normal tissues (ANT) (81.01% vs. 52.78%, P<0.001; 100% vs. 93.41%, P<0.001; 58.58% vs. 40.12%, P<0.001; 38.20% vs. 26.90%, P = 0.025, respectively). The mean optical density (MOD) values of IL-6, p-Stat3, PD-1 and PD-L1 were significantly higher in GC tissues. (2) The higher the levels of IL-6 (P<0.001), p-Stat3 (P<0.001), and PD-L1 (P = 0.003) were, the worse the survival prognoses were observed, respectively, among GC patients. The expression of PD-1 was not correlated with the prognosis of GC patients (P>0.05). The lower the degree of cell differentiation (P<0.001) was, the worse the survival prognoses were observed among GC patients. (3) Independent risk factors for postoperative prognosis in GC patients included age (≥60 years old), poor cell differentiation, invasion depth (T3/T4), lymph node metastasis (N1-3), distant metastasis (M1), and high levels of IL-6 (2+/3+). (4) A multi-factor combination (cell differentiation+IL-6+p-Stat3+PD-1+PD-L1) appeared to be the best survival predictor for GC patients as indicated by AUC (AUC 0.782, 95% CI = 0.709, 0.856, P<0.001). This combination may be the optimal predictor for postoperative survival of GC patients. (5) The levels of IL-6, p-Stat3, PD-1 and PD-L1 correlated with the infiltration levels of various tumor-infiltrating immune cells. (6) The analyses of ROC curves, calibration, DCA and Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival curves in TCGA dataset confirmed that the nomogram model could accurately predict the prognosis in GC patients. CONCLUSIONS: (1) The expressed levels of IL-6, p-Stat3, PD-1 and PD-L1 are higher in GC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. (2) The high levels of IL-6, p-Stat3 and PD-L1 are correlated with poor survival in GC patients. (3) The high levels of IL-6, p-Stat3, PD-1 and PD-L1 have influences in GC tumor microenvironment. (4) The multi-predictor combination of "IL-6+p-Stat3+PD-1+cell differentiation" serves as an optimal survival predictor for postoperative GC patients and better than the TNM staging system. As these molecules can be examined in preoperative biopsies, these observations may provide a useful guide for clinicians to strategize individualized surgical plans for GC patients before surgery.

311. Clinical and laboratory factors associated with mortality among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infection in Lebanon: A multicenter study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Chebli M, Shebly A, Kerbage G

BACKGROUND: With the dire economic situation in Lebanon, many of the basic resources of the hospitals needed to help fight COVID-19 infections are not available. In this paper, we studied the possible factors associated with increased mortality in a sample of Lebanese adults enrolled in three hospitals. METHOD: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed data from 416 adults hospitalized in three institutions for a COVID-19 infection, from the opening of the COVID unit until their closure (period extending from March 2020 to June 2021). We used multivariate analyses to assess potential factors associated with COVID-19 mortality: gender, age, the presence of underlying medical conditions, and some medication taken during hospitalization. RESULTS: Using variables related to baseline characteristics entered as independent variables, acute kidney injury (aOR = 4.057) and older age (aOR = 1.053) were associated with a higher probability of death. After adjusting baseline characteristics and factors related to admission entered as independent variables, enoxaparin intake (aOR = 0.435) was significantly associated with a lower probability of death, whereas old age (aOR = 1.049) and ventilation (aOR = 1.2) were significantly associated with higher odds of death. When all variables that showed significance in bivariate analysis were entered, old age (aOR = 1.243) and highest PaCO2 during hospitalization (aOR = 1.192) were significantly associated with higher mortality. With a weak effect, atrial fibrillation, COPD, and higher leucocyte counts on admission were significantly associated with higher odds of death. CONCLUSION: These findings could help us prevent severe diseases in patients with several comorbidities and adjust therapeutic care to improve future outcomes. More studies should compare the outcome of different COVID-19 strains as well as the impact of vaccination on those with multiple comorbidities, especially on the mortality rate culminating from disease complications.

312. An evidenced-based approach to understanding and informing talent management practices for internationally trained nurses in healthcare: A systematic review protocol.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Ryan NF, Berkery E, O'Malley B

This paper details a protocol for a systematic review that will be used to identify, critically appraise, and synthesize current academic evidence relating talent management practices for internationally trained nurses in healthcare organizations. Databases used in the search will include CINAHL with full text (EBSCOhost), PubMED, PsycINFO, Embase, Business Source Complete, Academic Source Complete, Web of Science, and Medline. Searches are limited to studies in English. Based on receiving funding approval in May this review will systematically search all materials in databases up until 2022, with predetermined search terms. All studies will be screened based on specific criteria and predetermined search terms using the Boolean terminology. Risk of any bias will be considered and assessed using the checklist provided by the National Institute of Health and Clinical excellence. Two assessors will review the findings using convergence and any disagreement will be settled by a third-party reviewer. The systematic review will produce a synthesis of the data related to talent management practices for internationally trained nurses in healthcare settings, as well as outlining areas for further research. The study will be the first of its type to systematically review and synthesize talent management practices for internationally trained nurses. In particular, the findings will provide the latest, validated evidence to narrate the development talent management practices specifically in relation to the strategically important cohort of internationally trained nurses in healthcare organizations. It will also help create a pipeline of suitably qualified candidates for future roles, as well as helping internationally trained nurses identify career trajectories. By systematically gathering and analyzing the relevant research, a stakeholder informed evidence-based approach to talent management for this cohort can be informed as a way of improving the quality and safety of care to the patient.

313. Population-based correlates of COVID-19 infection: An analysis from the DFW COVID-19 prevalence study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Singal AG, Masica A, Esselink K

314. Service network design for freight railway transportation: The Chinese case.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Xin X.

315. Functional characterization of MLH1 missense variants unveils mechanisms of pathogenicity and clarifies role in cancer.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Mahdouani M, Ben Ahmed S, Hmila F

316. Construction of an individual socioeconomic status index for analysing inequalities in colorectal cancer screening.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Vanaclocha-Espí M, Pinto-Carbó M, Martín-Pozuelo J

317. Validating emergency department cardioversion procedures in provincial administrative data in Ontario, Canada.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Atzema CL, Stiell IG, Chong AS

BACKGROUND: Cardioversion of acute-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) via electrical or pharmacological means is a common procedure performed in many emergency departments. While these procedures appear to be very safe, the rarity of subsequent adverse outcomes such as stroke would require huge sample sizes to confirm that conclusion. Big data can supply such sample sizes. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to validate several potential codes for successful emergency department cardioversion of AF patients. METHODS: This study combined 3 observational datasets of emergency department AF visits seen at one of 26 hospitals in Ontario, Canada, between 2008 and 2012. We linked patients who were eligible for emergency department cardioversion to several province-wide health administrative datasets to search for the associated cardioversion billing and procedural codes. Using the observational data as the gold standard for successful cardioversion, we calculated the test characteristics of a billing code (Z437) and of procedural codes 1.HZ.09JAFS and 1.HZ.09JAJS. Both include pharmacological and electrical cardioversions, as well as unsuccessful attempts; the latter is <10% using electricity (in Canada, standard practice is to proceed to electrical cardioversion if pharmacological cardioversion is unsuccessful). RESULTS: Of 4557 unique patients in the three datasets, 2055 (45.1%) were eligible for cardioversion. Nine hundred thirty-three (45.4%) of these were successfully cardioverted to normal sinus rhythm. The billing code had slightly better test characteristics overall than the procedural codes. Positive predictive value (PPV) of a billing was 89.8% (95% CI, 87.0-92.2), negative predictive value (NPV) 70.5% (95% CI, 68.1-72.8), sensitivity 52.1% (95% CI, 48.8-55.3), and specificity 95.1% (95% CI, 93.7-96.3). CONCLUSIONS: AF patients who have been successfully cardioverted in an emergency department can be identified with high PPV and specificity using a billing code. Studies that require high sensitivity for cardioversion should consider other methods to identify cardioverted patients.

318. Cost-effectiveness of talazoparib for patients with locally advanced or metastasized breast cancer in Germany.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Schwarz F, Arefian H, Hartmann M

319. Event dependent overall survival in the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Zeynalova S, Rillich K, Linnebank E

BACKROUND: Information about the direct comparability of big data of epidemiological cohort studies and the general population still is lacking, especially regarding all-cause mortality rates. The aim of this study was to investigate the overall survival and the influence of several diagnoses in the medical history on survival time, adjusted to common risk factors in a populations-based cohort. METHODS: From 10,000 subjects of the population-based cohort LIFE-Adult-Study (Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases), the medical history and typical risk factors such as age, smoking status and body-mass-index (BMI) were assessed. The survival status was identified from the saxonian population register. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the influence of the medical history and risk factors on overall survival. To develope an optimal model, the method by Collet [1] was used. RESULTS: The mortality rate of the participants is approximately half the mortality rate expected for the german population. The selection bias in epidemiological studies needs to be considered whenever interpreting results of epidemiological cohort studies. Nevertheless we have shown that several diagnoses proved to have a negative influence on overall survival time even in this relatively healthy cohort. This study showed the significantly increased mortality risk if the following diseases are reported in medical history of the participants in a large population-based cohort study including adults aged 18 and over: diabetes mellitus (HR 1.533, p = 0.002), hypertension (HR 1.447, p = 0.005), liver cirrhosis (HR 4.251, p < 0.001), osteoporosis (HR 2.165, p = 0.011), chronic bronchitis (HR 2.179, p < 0.001), peptic ulcer disease (HR 1.531, p = 0.024) and cancer (HR 1.797, p < 0.001). Surprisingly, asthma has the opposite effect on survival time (HR 0.574, p = 0.024), but we believe this may be due to an overrepresentation of mild to moderate asthma and its management, which includes educating patients about a healthy lifestyle. CONCLUSION: In the LIFE-Adult-Study, common risk factors and several diseases had relevant effect on overall survival. However, selection bias in epidemiological studies needs to be considered whenever interpreting results of epidemiological cohort studies. Nevertheless it was shown that the general cause-and-effect principles also apply in this relatively healthy cohort.

320. Preference and performance of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae on three Brassicaceae vegetable plants and its association with amino acids and glucosinolates.

PLoS One

2022 Dec 1

Ahmed MA, Ban N, Hussain S

Newmer生物

Newmer生物