This study reviewed 1787 episodes of peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis in 544 patients between 1994 and 2003. The overall rate of peritonitis was 0.68 episodes/year of PD, but decreased ...from 1.10 to 0.46 episodes/year between 1994 and 2003. The incidence of peritonitis caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci declined between 1994 and 1998 from 0.21 to 0.06 episodes/year of PD, coinciding with a reduction in the use of spike PD sets. There was a 60.1% response rate to antibiotics throughout the period, but the percentage of cases that required modification of the initial empirical antibiotic regimen rose from 13.6% to 58.7%, indicating that treatment should be individualised.
Although infant media exposure has received attention for its implications on child development, upstream risk factors contributing to media exposure have rarely been explored. The study aim was to ...examine the relationship between maternal risk factors, infant television (TV) viewing, and later child cognition.
We used a prospective population-based birth cohort study, Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO), with 1247 pregnant mothers recruited in their first trimester. We first explored the relationship of infant TV exposure at 12 months and the composite IQ score at 4.5 years, as measured by the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Second Edition (KBIT-2). Multivariable linear regressions were adjusted for maternal education, maternal mental health, child variables, birth parameters, and other relevant confounders. We then examined the associations of maternal risk factors with the amount of daily TV viewing of 12-month-old infants. Path analysis followed, to test a conceptual model designed a priori to test our hypotheses.
The average amount of TV viewing at 12 months was 2.0 h/day (SD 1.9). TV viewing in hours per day was a significant exposure variable for composite IQ (ß = - 1.55; 95% CI: - 2.81 to - 0.28) and verbal IQ (ß = - 1.77; 95% CI: - 3.22 to - 0.32) at 4.5 years. Our path analysis demonstrated that lower maternal education and worse maternal mood (standardized ß = - 0.27 and 0.14, respectively, p < 0.01 for both variables) were both risk factors for more media exposure. This path analysis also showed that maternal mood and infant TV strongly mediated the relationship between maternal education and child cognition, with an exceptional model fit (CFI > 0.99, AIC 15249.82, RMSEA < 0.001).
Infant TV exposure has a negative association with later cognition. Lower maternal education and suboptimal maternal mental health are risk factors for greater television viewing. Paediatricians have a role in considering and addressing early risks that may encourage television viewing.
EGFR signaling pathway and microRNAs (miRNAs) are two important factors for development and treatment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Microarray analysis enables the genome-wide expression ...profiling. However, the information from microarray data may not be fully deciphered through the existing approaches. In this study we present an mRNA:miRNA stepwise regression model supported by miRNA target prediction databases. This model is applied to explore the roles of miRNAs in the EGFR signaling pathway. The results show that miR-145 is positively associated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the pre-surgery NSCLC group and miR-199a-5p is positively associated with EGF in the post-surgery NSCLC group. Surprisingly, miR-495 is positively associated with protein tyrosine kinase 2 (PTK2) in both groups. The coefficient of determination (R2) and leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) demonstrate good performance of our regression model, indicating that it can identify the miRNA roles as oncomirs and tumor suppressor mirs in NSCLC.
•We construct mRNA:miRNA regression models exploring mRNA and miRNA relationship.•R2 and LOOCV demonstrate good performances of these models.•The model is suitable for predicting the expression level of mRNA using miRNA(s).•The model is able to identify miRNA roles as tumor suppressor mirs or oncomirs.•The mode can also be used to explore the underlying mechanisms of NSCLC.
Voice Handicap Index (VHI) has been used extensively in research and clinical settings. It has been suggested to be used as a diagnostic tool in the literature. However, little is known if it could ...be applied as a diagnostic tool to the Cantonese-speaking population. The study aims to establish cutoff points and the diagnostic accuracy for VHI-30 and VHI-10 to discriminate between Cantonese-speaking dysphonic and nondysphonic individuals.
Data from 256 adults from Hong Kong were extracted from a database at a local institution. There were a total of 91 nondysphonic individuals and 165 dysphonic individuals. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis was conducted to establish cutoff points for VHI-30 and VHI-10. Diagnostic accuracy statistics such as sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predicted values (PPV and NPV) and likelihood ratios (LRs) were also reported.
The dysphonic group scored higher than the nondysphonic group on the mean scores of both versions of VHI. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis revealed a moderate to strong area under curve of 0.89 in both VHI-30 and VHI-10. A cutoff point of 18.5 point was yielded for VHI-30 (Sensitivity = 86.1%, Specificity = 81.3%, PPV = 89.3%, NPV = 76.3%, LR+ = 4.60, LR- = 0.17) and a cutoff point of 7.5 point was yielded for VHI-10 (Sensitivity = 80.6%, Specificity = 87.9%, PPV = 92.4%, NPV = 71.4%, LR+ = 6.66, LR- = 0.22).
Both the Chinese VHI-30 and VHI-10 for Cantonese speakers showed promising diagnostic accuracy. VHI can be used as adjunct to clinical diagnosis and treatment outcome measures for voice disorders in the Cantonese-speaking population.
We present the confirmation of a new sub-Neptune close to the transition between super-Earths and sub-Neptunes transiting the M2 dwarf TOI-269 (TIC 220 479 565,
V
= 14.4 mag,
J
= 10.9 mag,
R
⋆
= ...0.40
R
⊙
,
M
⋆
= 0.39
M
⊙
,
d
= 57 pc). The exoplanet candidate has been identified in multiple TESS sectors, and validated with high-precision spectroscopy from HARPS and ground-based photometric follow-up from ExTrA and LCO-CTIO. We determined mass, radius, and bulk density of the exoplanet by jointly modeling both photometry and radial velocities with
juliet
. The transiting exoplanet has an orbital period of
P
= 3.6977104 ± 0.0000037 days, a radius of 2.77 ± 0.12
R
⊕
, and a mass of 8.8 ± 1.4
M
⊕
. Since TOI-269 b lies among the best targets of its category for atmospheric characterization, it would be interesting to probe the atmosphere of this exoplanet with transmission spectroscopy in order to compare it to other sub-Neptunes. With an eccentricity
e
= 0.425
−0.086
+0.082
, TOI-269 b has one of the highest eccentricities of the exoplanets with periods less than 10 days. The star being likely a few Gyr old, this system does not appear to be dynamically young. We surmise TOI-269 b may have acquired its high eccentricity as it migrated inward through planet-planet interactions.
The effect of clomiphene, an ovulation-inducing agent, on cytosolic free Ca2+ levels (Ca2+i) in MG63 human osteosarcoma cells was explored by using fura-2 as a Ca2+ indicator. Clomiphene at ...concentrations between 5-75 microM increased Ca2+i in a concentration-dependent manner with an EC50 of 50 microM. The Ca2+i signal consisted of an initial rise and a sustained phase. Ca2+ removal reduced the Ca2+ signal by 40+/-10%. The Ca2+i increase induced by 50 microM clomiphene was inhibited by 80+/-5% by 10 microM nifedipine, but was insensitive to 50 microM La3+ or 10 microM verapamil. In Ca2+-free medium, pretreatment with 50 microM brefeldin A (to disrupt the Golgi complex Ca2+ store), 1 microM thapsigargin (to inhibit the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump), and carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP; to uncouple mitochondria) inhibited 51+/-3% of 50 microM clomiphene-induced Ca2+ release; conversely, pretreatment with 50 microM clomiphene abolished the Ca2+i increase induced by thapsigargin, CCCP, and brefeldin A. The Ca2+ release-induced by 50 pM clomiphene was unchanged by inhibition of phospholipase C with 2 microM 1-(6-((17beta-3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-yl)amino)hexyl)-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione (U73122). Collectively, the results suggest that clomiphene increased Ca2+i, in osteoblast-like cells, by releasing intracellular Ca2+ in a phospholipase C-independent manner and by causing nifedipine-sensitive Ca2+ influx.
A pilot study about the effectiveness of a universal school-based programme, "The Little Prince is Depressed", for preventing depression in Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong was conducted and reported ...previously. This study used a larger sample to examine the effectiveness and sustainability of the programme.
This study used quasi-experimental design. Twelve schools enrolled in "The Little Prince is Depressed" programme either as an intervention or a control condition. The intervention schools carried out the 12-session programme in two phases: the professional-led first phase and the teacher-led second phase. All participants were required to complete a questionnaire at three time points measuring their (1) depressive, anxiety, and stress levels; (2) knowledge of mental health; (3) attitudes towards mental illness; (4) perceived social support; and (5) help-seeking behaviours.
A total of 3,391 students participated in the study. The level of depressive symptoms did not reduce significantly at post-intervention; however, a delayed effect was observed at follow-up assessment for the participants of the teacher-led group in reducing anxiety and stress levels. Also, the knowledge of mental health and attitudes towards mental illness of the intervention-group participants significantly improved at post-test, and the outcomes were maintained at 4 to 5 months after the intervention in both the professional-led and the teacher-led conditions (p<.05). A preference among schoolchildren for whom to seek help from was identified.
The universal depression prevention programme was effective in enhancing knowledge of mental health and promoting a more positive attitude towards mental illness among adolescents in Hong Kong. In particular, the teacher-led group showed better outcomes than the professional-led group in reducing students' anxiety and stress at follow-up period. The programme can achieve sustainability in schools if teachers are provided with adequate support.
The Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator (ACCESS) has contributed to the World Climate Research Programme’s Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) using two fully ...coupled model versions (ACCESS-CM2 and ACCESS-ESM1.5) and two ocean–sea-ice model versions (1° and 0.25° resolution versions of ACCESS-OM2). The fully coupled models differ primarily in the configuration and version of their atmosphere components (including the aerosol scheme), with smaller differences in their sea-ice and land model versions. Additionally, ACCESS-ESM1.5 includes biogeochemistry in the land and ocean components and can be run with an interactive carbon cycle. CMIP6 comprises core experiments and associated thematic Model Intercomparison Projects (MIPs). This paper provides an overview of the CMIP6 submission, including the methods used for the preparation of input forcing datasets and the post-processing of model output, along with a comprehensive list of experiments performed, detailing their initialisation, duration, ensemble number and computational cost. A small selection of model output is presented, focusing on idealised experiments and their variants at global scale. Differences in the climate simulation of the two coupled models are highlighted. ACCESS-CM2 produces a larger equilibrium climate sensitivity (4.7°C) than ACCESS-ESM1.5 (3.9°C), likely a result of updated atmospheric parameterisation in recent versions of the atmospheric component of ACCESS-CM2. The idealised experiments run with ACCESS-ESM1.5 show that land and ocean carbon fluxes respond to both changing atmospheric CO2 and to changing temperature. ACCESS data submitted to CMIP6 are available from the Earth System Grid Federation (https://doi.org/10.22033/ESGF/CMIP6.2281 and https://doi.org/10.22033/ESGF/CMIP6.2288). The information provided in this paper should facilitate easier use of these significant datasets by the broader climate community.
We report improved masses, radii, and densities for four planets in two bright M-dwarf systems, K2-3 and GJ3470, derived from a combination of new radial velocity and transit observations. ...Supplementing K2 photometry with follow-up Spitzer transit observations refined the transit ephemerides of K2-3 b, c, and d by over a factor of 10. We analyze ground-based photometry from the Evryscope and Fairborn Observatory to determine the characteristic stellar activity timescales for our Gaussian Process fit, including the stellar rotation period and activity region decay timescale. The stellar rotation signals for both stars are evident in the radial velocity data and is included in our fit using a Gaussian process trained on the photometry. We find the masses of K2-3 b, K2-3 c, and GJ3470 b to be 6.48 , 2.14 , and 12.58 M⊕, respectively. K2-3 d was not significantly detected and has a 3 upper limit of 2.80 M⊕. These two systems are training cases for future TESS systems; due to the low planet densities ( < 3.7 g cm−3) and bright host stars (K < 9 mag), they are among the best candidates for transmission spectroscopy in order to characterize the atmospheric compositions of small planets.
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