BNDB – The Biochemical Network Database

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Technological advances in high-throughput techniques and efficient data acquisition methods have resulted in a massive amount of life science data. The data is stored in numerous databases that have been established over the last decades and are essential resources for scientists nowadays. However, the diversity of the databases and the underlying data models make it difficult to combine this information for solving complex problems in systems biology. Currently, researchers typically have to browse several, often highly focused, databases to obtain the required information. Hence, there is a pressing need for more efficient systems for integrating, analyzing, and interpreting these data. The standardization and virtual consolidation of the databases is a major challenge resulting in a unified access to a variety of data sources.</p> <p>Description</p> <p>We present the Biochemical Network Database (BNDB), a powerful relational database platform, allowing a complete semantic integration of an extensive collection of external databases. BNDB is built upon a comprehensive and extensible object model called BioCore, which is powerful enough to model most known biochemical processes and at the same time easily extensible to be adapted to new biological concepts. Besides a web interface for the search and curation of the data, a Java-based viewer (BiNA) provides a powerful platform-independent visualization and navigation of the data. BiNA uses sophisticated graph layout algorithms for an interactive visualization and navigation of BNDB.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>BNDB allows a simple, unified access to a variety of external data sources. Its tight integration with the biochemical network library BN++ offers the possibility for import, integration, analysis, and visualization of the data. BNDB is freely accessible at <url>http://www.bndb.org</url>.</p

Morfologia e morfometria do forame magno em cães das raças Poodle Toy e Yorkshire terrier

The occipital dysplasia has been characterized by a dorsal enlargement of the foramen magnum which can vary in size and shape. Clinical signs may be present or not in animals with occipital dysplasia. The purpose of this study was to radiographically analyze the morphology and morphometry of the foramen magnum of thirty healthy dogs. This study chose to use fifteen Yorkshire terrier dogs and fifteen Toy Poodle dogs in order to characterize the radiographic aspects of the foramen magnum and contribute to the diagnosis and critical analysis of the occipital dysplasia importance. According to the foramen magnum morphology and tracings, it was possible to classify the radiographic aspects into different shapes varing from oval and quadrangular. Out of 26 (86.7%) animals had a dorsal enlargement and 4 (13.3%) showed normal foramen magnum. Animals without any clinical signs that are radiographically classified as dysplastic dogs may simply represent an anatomic variation of the foramen magnum.A displasia do occipital é o alargamento dorsal do forame magno, o qual pode variar a sua forma e tamanho e os animais com esta alteração morfológica podem ou não apresentar manifestações clínicas. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar radiograficamente a morfologia e a morfometria do forame magno de 30 cães assintomáticos das raças Poodle toy e Yorkshire terrier, sendo 15 de cada, a fim de se caracterizar os aspectos radiográficos do forame magno e contribuir para o diagnóstico e análise crítica da relevância da displasia do occipital. O forame magno apresentou aspectos que variaram de oval a quadrangular. A presença do alargamento dorsal ocorreu em 26 (86,7%) animais e a ausência em apenas quatro (13,3%). Animais sem manifestações clínicas, que apresentam graus variados de alargamento dorsal e são classificados radiograficamente como displásicos, podem apenas representar variações anatômicas do forame magno

Orthorexic tendencies moderate the relationship between semi-vegetarianism and depressive symptoms

PURPOSE Vegetarianism and semi-vegetarianism (i.e., overly vegetarian diet with rare consumption of meat) have been repeatedly linked with depression. As the nature of this association is unclear, we explored whether orthorexic (i.e., pathologically healthful eating) tendencies and ecological/ethical motives to follow a vegetarian diet may moderate the relationship between (semi-)vegetarian diets and depressive symptoms. METHODS Five-hundred eleven adults (63.4% females; 71.2% omnivores, 19.2% semi-vegetarians, 9.6% vegetarians) completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) questionnaire-measuring depressive symptoms-and the Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS)-measuring orthorexic tendencies. Based on respective questions, participants were categorized as omnivores, semi-vegetarians, and vegetarians (including vegans) and were asked to indicate whether they chose their diet based on ecological/ethical motives. Moderation analyses were carried out with PROCESS. RESULTS Adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index, there was a statistically significant interaction effect between diet (omnivore vs. semi-vegetarianism vs. vegetarianism) and DOS scores when predicting PHQ depression scores. At low or medium DOS scores, diets did not differ in PHQ depression scores (all > 0.05). At high DOS scores, however, semi-vegetarians had higher PHQ depression scores than both omnivores (p = 0.002) and vegetarians (p < 0.001). The interaction between diet and ecological/ethical eating motives when predicting PHQ depression scores was not statistically significant (p = 0.41). CONCLUSION Semi-vegetarians with strong orthorexic tendencies show more depressive symptoms than omnivores and vegetarians. The complex nature of the relationship between vegetarianism and depression requires further investigation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III, case-control analytic studies

Orthorexic tendencies in the general population: association with demographic data, psychiatric symptoms, and utilization of mental health services

PURPOSE Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is characterized by a preoccupation to eat healthily and restrictive eating habits despite negative psychosocial and physical consequences. As a relatively new construct, its prevalence and correlates in the general population and the associated utilization of mental health services are unclear. METHODS Adults from the general population completed the Düsseldorf Orthorexia Scale (DOS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), the Short Eating Disorder Examination (SEED). RESULTS Five-hundred eleven (63.4% female) participants with a mean age of 43.39 (SD = 18.06) completed the questionnaires. The prevalence of ON according to the DOS was 2.3%. Considering only effects of at least intermediate size, independent samples t-tests suggested higher DOS scores for persons with bulimia nervosa (p < .001, Cohen's d = 1.14), somatoform syndrome (p = .012, d = .60), and major depressive syndrome (compared p < .001, d = 1.78) according to PHQ as well as those who reported to always experience fear of gaining weight (p < .001, d = 1.78). The DOS score correlated moderately strong and positively with the PHQ depression (r = .37, p < .001) and stress (r = .33, p < .001) scores as well as the SEED bulimia score (r = .32, p < .001). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, only PHQ depression~scores were associated with past psychotherapeutic or psychiatric treatment (OR = 1.20, p = .002) and intake of psychotropic medication in the last year (OR = 1.22, p = .013). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of ON was low compared to international studies but is in line with other non-representative German studies. Orthorexic tendencies related to general mental distress and eating disorder symptoms but were no independent reason for seeking treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study

Diverse types of knowledge on a plate: a multi-perspective and multi-method approach for the transformation of urban food systems towards sustainable diets

Urbanization processes are accompanied by growing global challenges for food systems. Urban actors are increasingly striving to address these challenges through a focus on sustainable diets. However, transforming food systems towards more sustainable diets is challenging and it is unclear what the local scope of action might be. Co-production of knowledge between science and non-science is particularly useful for analysing context-specific solutions and promise to result in more robust socio-economic, political and technical solutions. Thus, this paper aims to integrate different types and sources of knowledge to understand urban food systems transformation towards a more sustainable diet in Vienna; and, second, to analyse and reflect on the difficulties and ways forward to integrate diverse actors’ perspectives, multiple methods and epistemologies. We created different future scenarios that illustrate the synergies and trade-offs of various bundles of measures and the interactions among single dimensions of sustainable diets. These scenarios show that there is plenty of scope for local action, but co-ordination across diverse groups, interests, and types of knowledge is necessary to overcome lock-ins

Electronic Health Diary Campaigns to Complement Longitudinal Assessments in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: Nested Observational Study

BACKGROUND Electronic health diaries hold promise in complementing standardized surveys in prospective health studies but are fraught with numerous methodological challenges. OBJECTIVE The study aimed to investigate participant characteristics and other factors associated with response to an electronic health diary campaign in persons with multiple sclerosis, identify recurrent topics in free-text diary entries, and assess the added value of structured diary entries with regard to current symptoms and medication intake when compared with survey-collected information. METHODS Data were collected by the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry during a nested electronic health diary campaign and during a regular semiannual Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry follow-up survey serving as comparator. The characteristics of campaign participants were descriptively compared with those of nonparticipants. Diary content was analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count 2015 software (Pennebaker Conglomerates, Inc) and descriptive keyword analyses. The similarities between structured diary data and follow-up survey data on health-related quality of life, symptoms, and medication intake were examined using the Jaccard index. RESULTS Campaign participants (n=134; diary entries: n=815) were more often women, were not working full time, did not have a higher education degree, had a more advanced gait impairment, and were on average 5 years older (median age 52.5, IQR 43.25-59.75 years) than eligible nonparticipants (median age 47, IQR 38-55 years; n=524). Diary free-text entries (n=632; participants: n=100) most often contained references to the following standard Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count word categories: negative emotion (193/632, 30.5%), body parts or body functioning (191/632, 30.2%), health (94/632, 14.9%), or work (67/632, 10.6%). Analogously, the most frequently mentioned keywords (diary entries: n=526; participants: n=93) were "good," "day," and "work." Similarities between diary data and follow-up survey data, collected 14 months apart (median), were high for health-related quality of life and stable for slow-changing symptoms such as fatigue or gait disorder. Similarities were also comparatively high for drugs requiring a regular application, including interferon beta-1a (Avonex) and glatiramer acetate (Copaxone), and for modern oral therapies such as fingolimod (Gilenya) and teriflunomide (Aubagio). CONCLUSIONS Diary campaign participation seemed dependent on time availability and symptom burden and was enhanced by reminder emails. Electronic health diaries are a meaningful complement to regular structured surveys and can provide more detailed information regarding medication use and symptoms. However, they should ideally be embedded into promotional activities or tied to concrete research study tasks to enhance regular and long-term participation

Electronic Health Diary Campaigns to Complement Longitudinal Assessments in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: Nested Observational Study.

BACKGROUND Electronic health diaries hold promise in complementing standardized surveys in prospective health studies but are fraught with numerous methodological challenges. OBJECTIVE The study aimed to investigate participant characteristics and other factors associated with response to an electronic health diary campaign in persons with multiple sclerosis, identify recurrent topics in free-text diary entries, and assess the added value of structured diary entries with regard to current symptoms and medication intake when compared with survey-collected information. METHODS Data were collected by the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry during a nested electronic health diary campaign and during a regular semiannual Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry follow-up survey serving as comparator. The characteristics of campaign participants were descriptively compared with those of nonparticipants. Diary content was analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count 2015 software (Pennebaker Conglomerates, Inc) and descriptive keyword analyses. The similarities between structured diary data and follow-up survey data on health-related quality of life, symptoms, and medication intake were examined using the Jaccard index. RESULTS Campaign participants (n=134; diary entries: n=815) were more often women, were not working full time, did not have a higher education degree, had a more advanced gait impairment, and were on average 5 years older (median age 52.5, IQR 43.25-59.75 years) than eligible nonparticipants (median age 47, IQR 38-55 years; n=524). Diary free-text entries (n=632; participants: n=100) most often contained references to the following standard Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count word categories: negative emotion (193/632, 30.5%), body parts or body functioning (191/632, 30.2%), health (94/632, 14.9%), or work (67/632, 10.6%). Analogously, the most frequently mentioned keywords (diary entries: n=526; participants: n=93) were "good," "day," and "work." Similarities between diary data and follow-up survey data, collected 14 months apart (median), were high for health-related quality of life and stable for slow-changing symptoms such as fatigue or gait disorder. Similarities were also comparatively high for drugs requiring a regular application, including interferon beta-1a (Avonex) and glatiramer acetate (Copaxone), and for modern oral therapies such as fingolimod (Gilenya) and teriflunomide (Aubagio). CONCLUSIONS Diary campaign participation seemed dependent on time availability and symptom burden and was enhanced by reminder emails. Electronic health diaries are a meaningful complement to regular structured surveys and can provide more detailed information regarding medication use and symptoms. However, they should ideally be embedded into promotional activities or tied to concrete research study tasks to enhance regular and long-term participation

IWB/EFRE-OP AT 2014-20 Begleitende Evaluierung Leistungspaket 2: Kleine und mittlere Unternehmen (KMU) – Endbericht

Diese Studie wurde im Rahmen der begleitenden Evaluierung des IWB/EFRE AT 2014-2020 erstellt. Sie konzentriert sich auf die Prioritätenachse 2, „Stärkung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit von kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen“ und zielt auf die Analyse der Konzeption, Umsetzung, Zielerreichung und die Wirkungen ab. Methodisch basiert die Studie auf dem Ansatz der theoriebasierten Evaluation, indem eine empirisch und konzeptionell fundierte Interventionslogik und maßnahmenspezifische Wirkungsmodelle entwickelt wurden. Auf dieser Basis werden unterschiedliche qualitative und quantitative Methoden der empirischen Sozial- und Wirtschaftswissenschaften eingesetzt, um die unterstellten Annahmen und Wirkungsmechanismen zu überprüfen. Das IWB/EFRE-Programm versteht sich als ergänzendes Instrument im nationalen und regionalen Förderspektrum. Die Fördergebiete umfassen das gesamte Bundesgebiet, für die in der Periode 2014-2020 ein Budget von € 536,26 Mio. zur Verfügung steht. Die Finanzmittelallokation pro thematischem Ziel sowie die Höhe des nationalen Beitrags („Kofinanzierungssatz“) variieren jedoch, da das Burgenland als Übergangsregion eingestuft wird, während die anderen Bundesländer zu den stärker entwickelten Regionen zählen

Inter-scan variability of coronary artery calcium scoring assessed on 64-multidetector computed tomography vs. dual-source computed tomography: a head-to-head comparison

Aims Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring has emerged as a tool for risk stratification and potentially for monitoring response to risk factor modification. Therefore, repeat measurements should provide robust results and low inter-scanner variability for allowing meaningful comparison. The purpose of this study was to investigate inter-scanner variability of CAC for Agatston, volume, and mass scores by head-to-head comparison using two different cardiac computed tomography scanners: 64-detector multislice CT (MSCT) and 64-slice dual-source CT (DSCT). Methods and results Thirty patients underwent CAC measurements on both 64-MSCT (GE LightSpeed XT scanner: 120 kV, 70 mAs, 2.5 mm slices) and 64-DSCT (Siemens Somatom Definition: 120 kV, 80 mAs, 3 mm slices) within <100 days (0-97). Retrospective intra-scan comparison revealed an excellent correlation. The excellent intra-scan (inter-observer) agreement was documented by narrow limits of agreement and a correlation coefficient of variation (COV) of r ≥ 0.99 (P < 0.001) for all CAC scores with a low COV for both scanners (64-MSCT/64-DSCT), i.e. Agatston (2.0/2.1%), mass (3.0/2.0%), and volume (4.7/3.9%). Inter-scanner comparison revealed larger Bland-Altman (BA) limits of agreement, despite high correlation (r ≥ 0.97) for all scores, with COV at 15.1, 21.6, and 44.9% for Agatston, mass, and volume scores. The largest BA limits were observed for volume scores (−1552.8 to 574.2), which was massively improved (−241.0 to 300.4, COV 11.5%) after reanalysing the 64-DSCT scans (Siemens) with GE software/workstation (while Siemens software/workstation does not allow cross-vendor analysis). Phantom measurements confirmed overestimation of volume scores by ‘syngo Ca-Scoring' (Siemens) software which should therefore be reviewed (vendor has been notified). Conclusion Intra- and inter-scan agreement of CAC measurement in a given data set is excellent. Inter-scanner variability is reasonable, particularly for Agatston units in the clinically most relevant range <1000. The use of different software solutions has a greater influence particularly on volume scores than the use of different scanner type