bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Construction of engineered RuBisCO Kluyveromyces marxianus for a dual microbial bioethanol production system
Authors: Ha-Tran Dung Minh , Lai Rou-Yin , Nguyen Trinh Thi My , Huang Eugene , Lo Shou-Chen , Huang Chieh-Chen
Published: March 2021

Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO) genes play important roles in CO2 fixation and redox balancing in photosynthetic bacteria. In the present study, the kefir yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus 4G5 was used as host for the transformation of form I and form II RubisCO genes derived from the nonsulfur purple bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris using the Promoter-based Gene Assembly and Simultaneous Overexpression (PGASO) method. Hungateiclostridium thermocellum ATCC 27405, a well-known bacterium for its efficient solubilization of recalcitrant lignocellulosic biomass, was used to degrade Napier grass and rice straw to generate soluble fermentable sugars. The resultant Napier grass and rice straw broths were used as growth media for the engineered K. marxianus. In the dual microbial system, H. thermocellum degraded the biomass feedstock to produce both C5 and C6 sugars. As the bacterium only used hexose sugars, the remaining pentose sugars could be metabolized by K. marxianus to produce ethanol. The transformant RubisCO K. marxianus strains grew well in hydrolyzed Napier grass and rice straw broths and produced bioethanol more efficiently than the wild type. Therefore, these engineered K. marxianus strains could be used with H. thermocellum in a bacterium-yeast coculture system for ethanol production directly from biomass feedstocks.
Impact of metformin use on the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after initial liver resection in diabetic patients
Authors: Cho Wei-Ru , Wang Chih-Chi , Tsai Meng-Yun , Chou Chen-Kai , Liu Yueh-Wei , Wu Yi-Ju , Lin Ming-Tsung , Chen Kuang-Den , Chuang Ching-Hui , Huang Pao-Yuan , Hu Tsung-Hui , Tsai Ming-Chao
Published: March 2021

Background

Metformin is proposed to have chemopreventive effect of various cancer currently. However, the anti-cancer effect of metformin for diabetic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing liver resection remains unclear. The aim of our cohort study was to assess whether metformin influence the recurrence of HCC.

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled 857 HCC patients who received primary resection from April 2001 to June 2016. 222 patients were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) from medical record. Factors influence the overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were analyzed by multivariate analysis.

Results

During the follow-up period (mean, 75 months), 471 (54.9%) patients experienced recurrence, and 158 (18.4%) patients died. Multivariate analysis revealed that DM (p = 0.015), elevated AST (p = 0.006), hypoalbuminemia (p = 0.003), tumor number (p = 0.001), tumor size (p < 0.001), vascular invasion (p <0.001), high Ishak fibrosis score (p <0.001), hepatitis B (p = 0.014), hepatitis C (p = 0.001) were independent predictors for RFS. In diabetic patients, only HbA1c>9% (p = 0.033), hypoalbuminemia (p = 0.030) and vascular invasion (p = 0.001) were independent risk factors for HCC recurrence; but the metformin use revealed no significance on recurrence. DM is a risk factor of HCC recurrence after resection. Adequate DM control can reduce the recurrence of HCC. However, the use of metformin does not reduce the risk of HCC recurrence in diabetic patient after initial resection. Hence, metformin may not have protective influences on HCC recurrence in diabetic patients who undergo initial liver resection.
Multi-omic analysis of stroke recurrence in African Americans from the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention (VISP) clinical trial
Authors: Davis Armstrong Nicole M. , Spragley Kelsey J. , Chen Wei-Min , Hsu Fang-Chi , Brewer Michael S. , Horn Patrick J. , Williams Stephen R. , Sale Michèle M. , Worrall Bradford B. , Keene Keith L.
Published: March 2021

African Americans endure a nearly two-fold greater risk of suffering a stroke and are 2–3 times more likely to die from stroke compared to those of European ancestry. African Americans also have a greater risk of recurrent stroke and vascular events, which are deadlier and more disabling than incident stroke. Stroke is a multifactorial disease with both heritable and environmental risk factors. We conducted an integrative, multi-omic study on 922 plasma metabolites, 473,864 DNA methylation loci, and 556 variants from 50 African American participants of the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention clinical trial to help elucidate biomarkers contributing to recurrent stroke rates in this high risk population. Sixteen metabolites, including cotinine, N-delta-acetylornithine, and sphingomyelin (d17:1/24:1) were identified in t-tests of recurrent stroke outcome or baseline smoking status. Serum tricosanoyl sphingomyelin (d18:1/23:0) levels were significantly associated with recurrent stroke after adjusting for covariates in Cox Proportional Hazards models. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis identified moderate correlations between sphingolipid markers and clinical traits including days to recurrent stroke. Integrative analyses between genetic variants in sphingolipid pathway genes identified 29 nominal associations with metabolite levels in a one-way analysis of variance, while epigenomic analyses identified xenobiotics, predominately smoking-associated metabolites and pharmaceutical drugs, associated with methylation profiles. Taken together, our results suggest that metabolites, specifically those associated with sphingolipid metabolism, are potential plasma biomarkers for stroke recurrence in African Americans. Furthermore, genetic variation and DNA methylation may play a role in the regulation of these metabolites.
Flow Assisted Mutation Enrichment (FAME): A highly efficacious and efficient method to enrich Double Knockouts (DKO) after gene editing
Authors: Hansen Michael , Cai Xiaopin , Bowen Sara , Largaespada David A. , Li Ming V.
Published: March 2021

Gene editing has become an essential tool for interrogation of gene function in biomedical research and is also a promising approach for gene therapy. Despite recent progresses, the gene-editing procedure is still a tedious process involving manually isolating large number of single cell colonies to screen for desired mutations. For diploid eukaryotic cells, there is the additional challenge to inactivate both alleles for genes-of-interest, i.e., generating double knockouts (DKOs), for the desired phenotypes or therapeutic effects. In this report, we present a novel method based on Fluorescence Assisted Cell Sorting (FACS) to enrich for DKO cells, using a cell surface marker β2-microglobulin (B2M) as a basis for negative selection. This method significantly increased percentage of DKOs in isolated cells after gene editing, and in the meantime, significantly improve the efficiency of workflow by automating colony isolation. It would greatly facilitate future biomedical research including potential gene/cell therapies.
A study on the effects of containment policies and vaccination on the spread of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Bokharaie Vahid S.
Published: March 2021

This paper presents a method to predict the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 in a population with a known age-structure, and then, to quantify the effects of various containment policies, including those policies that affect each age-group differently. The model itself is a compartmental model in which each compartment is divided into a number of age-groups. The parameters of the model are estimated using an optimisation scheme and some known results from the theory of monotone systems such that the model output agrees with some collected data on the spread of SARS-CoV-2. To highlight the strengths of this framework, a few case studies are presented in which different populations are subjected to different containment strategies. They include cases in which the containment policies switch between scenarios with different levels of severity. Then a case study on herd immunity due to vaccination is presented. And then it is shown how we can use this framework to optimally distribute a limited number of vaccine units in a given population to maximise their impact and reduce the total number of infectious individuals.
Clinical and microbiological characterization of sepsis and evaluation of sepsis scores
Authors: Fuchs Andre , Tufa Tafese Beyene , Hörner Johannes , Hurissa Zewdu , Nordmann Tamara , Bosselmann Matthias , Abdissa Sileshi , Sorsa Abebe , Orth Hans Martin , Jensen Björn-Erik Ole , MacKenzie Colin , Pfeffer Klaus , Kaasch Achim J. , Bode Johannes G. , Häussinger Dieter , Feldt Torsten
Published: March 2021

Background

Despite the necessity of early recognition for an optimal outcome, sepsis often remains unrecognized. Available tools for early recognition are rarely evaluated in low- and middle-income countries. In this study, we analyzed the spectrum, treatment and outcome of sepsis at an Ethiopian tertiary hospital and evaluated recommended sepsis scores.

Methods

Patients with an infection and ≥2 SIRS criteria were screened for sepsis by SOFA scoring. From septic patients, socioeconomic and clinical data as well as blood cultures were collected and they were followed until discharge or death; 28-day mortality was determined.

Results

In 170 patients with sepsis, the overall mortality rate was 29.4%. The recognition rate by treating physicians after initial clinical assessment was low (12.4%). Increased risk of mortality was significantly associated with level of SOFA and qSOFA score, Gram-negative bacteremia (in comparison to Gram-positive bacteremia; 42.9 versus 16.7%), and antimicrobial regimen including ceftriaxone (35.7% versus 19.2%) or metronidazole (43.8% versus 25.0%), but not with an increased respiratory rate (≥22/min) or decreased systolic blood pressure (≤100mmHg). In Gram-negative isolates, extended antimicrobial resistance with expression of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and carbapenemase genes was common. Among adult patients, sensitivity and specificity of qSOFA score for detection of sepsis were 54.3% and 66.7%, respectively.

Conclusion

Sepsis is commonly unrecognized and associated with high mortality, showing the need for reliable and easy-applicable tools to support early recognition. The established sepsis scores were either of limited applicability (SOFA) or, as in the case of qSOFA, were significantly impaired in their sensitivity and specificity, demonstrating the need for further evaluation and adaptation to local settings. Regional factors like malaria endemicity and HIV prevalence might influence the performance of different scores. Ineffective empirical treatment due to antimicrobial resistance is common and associated with mortality. Local antimicrobial resistance statistics are needed for guidance of calculated antimicrobial therapy to support reduction of sepsis mortality.
Topical diclofenac vs placebo for the treatment of chronic Achilles tendinopathy: A randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Bussin Erin , Cairns Brian , Gerschman Tommy , Fredericson Michael , Bovard Jim , Scott Alex
Published: March 2021

Introduction

The application of topical diclofenac has been suggested as a possible treatment for Achilles tendinopathy. Our aim was to answer the question, is topical diclofenac more effective than placebo for the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy?.

Methods

67 participants with persistent midportion or insertional Achilles tendinopathy were randomly assigned to receive a 4 week course of 10% topical diclofenac (n = 32) or placebo (n = 35). The a priori primary outcome measure was change in severity of Achilles tendinopathy (VISA-A score) at 4 and 12 weeks. Secondary outcome measures included numeric pain rating, and patient-reported change in symptoms using a 7 point scale, from substantially worse to substantially better. Pressure pain threshold (N) and transverse tendon stiffness (N/m) were measured over the site of maximum Achilles tendon pathology at baseline and 4 weeks.

Results

There were no statistically or clinically significant differences between the diclofenac and placebo groups in any of the primary or secondary outcome measures at any timepoint. Average VISA-A score improved in both groups (p<0.0001), but the improvements were marginal: at 4 weeks, the improvements in VISA-A were 9 (SD 11) in the diclofenac group and 8 (SD 12) in the placebo group, and at 12 weeks the improvements were 9 (SD 16) and 11 (SD13) respectively–these average changes are smaller than the minimum clinically important difference of the VISA-A.

Conclusion

The regular application of topical diclofenac for Achilles tendinopathy over a 4 week period was not associated with superior clinical outcomes to that achieved with placebo.
Assessing service availability and readiness to manage Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRDs) in Bangladesh
Authors: Paromita Progga , Chowdhury Hasina Akhter , Mayaboti Cinderella Akbar , Rakhshanda Shagoofa , Rahman A. K. M. Fazlur , Karim Md. Rizwanul , Mashreky Saidur Rahman
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRDs) are some of the most prevailing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide and cause three times higher morbidity and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) than in developed nations. In Bangladesh, there is a dearth of data about the quality of CRD management in health facilities. This study aims to describe CRD service availability and readiness at all tiers of health facilities using the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) tool.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2017 to June 2018 in a total of 262 health facilities in Bangladesh using the WHO SARA Standard Tool. Surveys were conducted with facility management personnel by trained data collectors using REDCap software. Descriptive statistics for the availability of CRD services were calculated. Composite scores for facility readiness (Readiness Index ‘RI’) were created which included four domains: staff and guideline, basic equipment, diagnostic capacity, and essential medicines. RI was calculated for each domain as the mean score of items expressed as a percentage. Indices were compared to a cutoff of70% which means that a facility index above 70% is considered ‘ready’ to manage CRDs at that level. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS Vr 21.0.

Results

It was found, tertiary hospitals were the only hospitals that surpassed the readiness index cutoff of 70%, indicating that they had adequate capacity and were ready to manage CRDs (RI 78.3%). The mean readiness scores for the other hospital tiers in descending order were District Hospitals (DH): 40.6%, Upazila Health Complexes (UHC): 33.3% and Private NGOs: 39.5%).

Conclusion

Only tertiary care hospitals, constituting 3.1% of sampled health facilities, were found ready to manage CRD. Inadequate and unequal supplies of medicine as well as a lack of trained staff, guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of CRDs, equipment, and diagnostic facilities contributed to low readiness index scores in all other tiers of health facilities.
Novel outpatient management of mild to moderate COVID-19 spares hospital capacity and safeguards patient outcome: The Geneva PneumoCoV-Ambu study
Authors: Chevallier Lugon Chloé , Smit Mikaela , Salamun Julien , Abderrahmane Meriem , Braillard Olivia , Nehme Mayssam , Jacquerioz Bausch Frédérique , Guessous Idris , Spechbach Hervé
Published: March 2021

Background

Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the novel coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is creating an unprecedented burden on health care systems across the world due to its high rate of pneumonia-related hospitalizations. This study presents recommendations for the outpatient management of moderate SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia implemented at the Geneva University Hospital, Switzerland, from April 4 to June 30, 2020 and evaluated the impact of these recommendations on patient safety, patient satisfaction, and overall hospital capacity.

Methods

Recommendations for the outpatient management of moderate pneumonia implemented in the Geneva University Hospital (PneumoCoV-Ambu) between April 4 and June 30, 2020, were evaluated prospectively. The primary endpoint was hospitalization. Secondary endpoints were: severity of COVID-19 disease based on a 7-points ordinal scale assessed at 1 and 2 months following SARS-CoV-2 infection; patient satisfaction using a satisfaction survey and the analysis of number of beds and costs potentially averted.

Results

A total of 36 patients with COVID-19-related pneumonia were followed between April 4 and May 5, 2020. Five patients (14%) were hospitalized and none died over a median of 30 days follow-up. The majority of patients (n = 31; 86%) were satisfied with the ambulatory care they received. These novel recommendations for outpatient management resulted in sparing an estimated potential 124 hospital bed-nights and CHF 6’826 per capita averted hospitalization costs over the three months period.

Conclusions

Recommendations developed for the outpatient management of COVID-19-related pneumonia were able to spare hospital capacity without increasing adverse patient outcomes. Widely implementing such recommendations is crucial in preserving hospital capacity during this pandemic.
Non-invasive intradermal imaging of cystine crystals in cystinosis
Authors: Bengali Marya , Goodman Spencer , Sun Xiaoying , Dohil Magdalene A. , Dohil Ranjan , Newbury Robert , Lobry Tatiana , Hernandez Laura , Antignac Corinne , Jain Sonia , Cherqui Stephanie
Published: March 2021

Importance

Development of noninvasive methodology to reproducibly measure tissue cystine crystal load to assess disease status and guide clinical care in cystinosis, an inherited lysosomal storage disorder characterized by widespread cystine crystal accumulation.

Objective

To develop an unbiased and semi-automated imaging methodology to quantify dermal cystine crystal accumulation in patients to correlate with disease status.

Design, setting and participants

101 participants, 70 patients and 31 healthy controls, were enrolled at the University of California, San Diego, Cystinosis Clinics, Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego and at the annual Cystinosis Research Foundation family conference for an ongoing prospective longitudinal cohort study of cystinosis patients with potential yearly follow-up.

Exposures

Intradermal reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) imaging, blood collection via standard venipuncture, medical record collection, and occasional skin punch biopsies.

Main outcomes and measures

The primary outcome was to establish an automated measure of normalized confocal crystal volume (nCCV) for each subject. Secondary analysis examined the association of nCCV with various clinical indicators to assess nCCV’s possible predictive potential.

Results

Over 2 years, 57 patients diagnosed with cystinosis (median [range] age: 15.1 yrs [0.8, 54]; 41.4% female) were intradermally assessed by RCM to produce 84 image stacks. 27 healthy individuals (38.7 yrs [10, 85]; 53.1% female) were also imaged providing 37 control image stacks. Automated 2D crystal area quantification revealed that patients had significantly elevated crystal accumulation within the superficial dermis. 3D volumetric analysis of this region was significantly higher in patients compared to healthy controls (mean [SD]: 1934.0 μm3 [1169.1] for patients vs. 363.1 μm3 [194.3] for controls, P<0.001). Medical outcome data was collected from 43 patients with infantile cystinosis (media [range] age: 11 yrs [0.8, 54]; 51% female). nCCV was positively associated with hypothyroidism (OR = 19.68, 95% CI: [1.60, 242.46], P = 0.02) and stage of chronic kidney disease (slope estimate = 0.53, 95%CI: [0.05, 1.00], P = 0.03).

Conclusions and relevance

This study used non-invasive RCM imaging to develop an intradermal cystine crystal quantification method. Results showed that cystinosis patients had increased nCCV compared to healthy controls. Level of patient nCCV correlated with several clinical outcomes suggesting nCCV may be used as a potential new biomarker for cystinosis to monitor long-term disease control and medication compliance.
‘It’s like being in a war with an invisible enemy’: A document analysis of bereavement due to COVID-19 in UK newspapers
Authors: Sowden Ryann , Borgstrom Erica , Selman Lucy E.
Published: March 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has been followed intensely by the global news media, with deaths and bereavement a major focus. The media reflect and reinforce cultural conventions and sense-making, offering a lens which shapes personal experiences and attitudes. How COVID-19 bereavement is reported therefore has important societal implications. We aimed to explore the reportage and portrayal of COVID-19 related bereavement in the top seven most-read British online newspapers during two week-long periods in March and April 2020. We conducted a qualitative document analysis of all articles that described grief or bereavement after a death from COVID-19. Analysis of 55 articles was informed by critical discourse analysis and Terror Management Theory, which describes a psychological conflict arising between the realisation that death is inevitable and largely unpredictable and the human need for self-preservation. We identified three main narratives: (1) fear of an uncontrollable, unknown new virus and its uncertain consequences—associated with sensationalist language and a sense of helplessness and confusion; (2) managing uncertainty and fear via prediction of the future and calls for behaviour change, associated with use of war metaphors; and (3) mourning and loss narratives that paid respect to the deceased and gave voice to grief, associated with euphemistic or glorifying language (‘passed away’, ‘heroes’). Accounts of death and grief were largely homogenous, with bereavement due to COVID-19 presented as a series of tragedies, and there was limited practical advice about what to do if a loved one became seriously ill or died. Reporting reflected the tension between focusing on existential threat and the need to retreat from or attempt to control that threat. While the impact of this reporting on the public is unknown, a more nuanced approach is recommended to better support those bereaved by COVID-19.
Multimodal cardiovascular model for hemodynamic analysis: Simulation study on mitral valve disorders
Authors: Roy Dibyendu , Mazumder Oishee , Sinha Aniruddha , Khandelwal Sundeep
Published: March 2021

Valvular heart diseases are a prevalent cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide, affecting a wide spectrum of the population. In-silico modeling of the cardiovascular system has recently gained recognition as a useful tool in cardiovascular research and clinical applications. Here, we present an in-silico cardiac computational model to analyze the effect and severity of valvular disease on general hemodynamic parameters. We propose a multimodal and multiscale cardiovascular model to simulate and understand the progression of valvular disease associated with the mitral valve. The developed model integrates cardiac electrophysiology with hemodynamic modeling, thus giving a broader and holistic understanding of the effect of disease progression on various parameters like ejection fraction, cardiac output, blood pressure, etc., to assess the severity of mitral valve disorders, namingMitral StenosisandMitral Regurgitation. The model mimics an adult cardiovascular system, comprising a four-chambered heart with systemic, pulmonic circulation. The simulation of the model output comprises regulated pressure, volume, and flow for each heart chamber, valve dynamics, and Photoplethysmogram signal for normal physiological as well as pathological conditions due to mitral valve disorders. The generated physiological parameters are in agreement with published data. Additionally, we have related the simulated left atrium and ventricle dimensions, with the enlargement and hypertrophy in the cardiac chambers of patients with mitral valve disorders, using their Electrocardiogram available in Physionet PTBI dataset. The model also helps to create ‘what if’ scenarios and relevant analysis to study the effect in different hemodynamic parameters for stress or exercise like conditions.
Association of periodontitis with oral malodor in Korean adults
Authors: Song YoungHa , Ahn Yoo-Been , Shin Myung-Seop , Brennan David , Kim Hyun-Duck
Published: March 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the association of periodontitis with the organoleptic score (OLS)-defined oral malodor after validating OLS with odoriferous sulfur compounds in mouth air among Korean adults. A total of 330 adults aged 47–86 years were recruited from the Yangpyeong health cohort, South Korea, in 2015. Oral malodor was assessed using a 6-point OLS by a trained dentist and validated with the concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (HS) and methyl mercaptan (MM) using a gas chromatographer. Periodontitis was measured by assessing the radiographic alveolar bone loss on digital orthopantomography. Statistical analyses including descriptive statistics, partial correlation, ANOVA, and multivariable logistic regression with putative confounders were applied. OLS was significantly correlated with the concentrations of HS and MM (partial r = 0.401 and 0.392, respectively; both p<0.001) after controlling for confounders. Individuals with periodontitis had 1.8 times the risk of OLS-defined oral malodor in multivariable models (adjusted odds ratio = 1.77 in the model with the number of teeth and 1.82 in the model with denture wearing; p = 0.047 and 0.035, respectively). Periodontitis was associated with OLS-defined oral malodor among Korean adults independent of known confounders. Periodontal conditions should be considered for clinical practice and research of oral malodor.
Differential responses to folic acid in an established keloid fibroblast cell line are mediated by JAK1/2 and STAT3
Authors: McCann Katelyn J. , Yadav Manoj , Alishahedani Mohammadali E. , Freeman Alexandra F. , Myles Ian A.
Published: March 2021

Keloids are a type of disordered scar formation which not only show heterogeneity between individuals and within the scar itself, but also share common features of hyperproliferation, abnormal extra-cellular matrix deposition and degradation, as well as altered expression of the molecular markers of wound healing. Numerous reports have established that cells from keloid scars display Warburg metabolism—a form of JAK2/STAT3-induced metabolic adaptation typical of rapidly dividing cells in which glycolysis becomes the predominant source of ATP over oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos). Using the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib, along with cells from patients with STAT3 loss of function (STA3 LOF; autosomal dominant hyper IgE syndrome) we examined the role of JAK/STAT signaling in the hyperproliferation and metabolic dysregulation seen in keloid fibroblasts. Although ruxolitinib inhibited hyperactivity in the scratch assay in keloid fibroblasts, it paradoxically exacerbated the hyper-glycolytic state, possibly by further limiting OxPhos via alterations in mitochondrial phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3Ser727). In healthy volunteer fibroblasts, folic acid exposure recapitulated the exaggerated closure and hyper-glycolytic state of keloid fibroblasts through JAK1/2- and STAT3-dependent pathways. Although additional studies are needed before extrapolating from a representative cell line to keloids writ large, our results provide novel insights into the metabolic consequences of STAT3 dysfunction, suggest a possible role for folate metabolism in the pathogenesis of keloid scars, and offer in vitro pre-clinical data supporting considerations of clinical trials for ruxolitinib in keloid disorder.
Changes in toxin production of environmental Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates exposed to sub-inhibitory concentrations of three common antibiotics
Authors: Mojsoska Biljana , Ghoul Melanie , Perron Gabriel G. , Jenssen Håvard , Alatraktchi Fatima AlZahra’a
Published: March 2021

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an environmental pathogen that can cause severe infections in immunocompromised patients. P. aeruginosa infections are typically treated with multiple antibiotics including tobramycin, ciprofloxacin, and meropenem. However, antibiotics do not always entirely clear the bacteria from the infection site, where they may remain virulent. This is because the effective antibiotic concentration and diffusion in vitro may differ from the in vivo environment in patients. Therefore, it is important to understand the effect of non-lethal sub-inhibitory antibiotic concentrations on bacterial phenotype. Here, we investigate if sub-inhibitory antimicrobial concentrations cause alterations in bacterial virulence factor production using pyocyanin as a model toxin. We tested this using the aforementioned antibiotics on 10 environmental P. aeruginosa strains. Using on-the-spot electrochemical screening, we were able to directly quantify changes in production of pyocyanin in a measurement time of 17 seconds. Upon selecting 3 representative strains to further test the effects of sub-minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs), we found that pyocyanin production changed significantly when the bacteria were exposed to 10-fold MIC of the 3 antibiotics tested, and this was strain specific. A series of biologically relevant measured pyocyanin concentrations were also used to assess the effects of increased virulence on a culture of epithelial cells. We found a decreased viability of the epithelial cells when incubated with biologically relevant pyocyanin concentrations. This suggests that the antibiotic-induced virulence also is a value worth being enclosed in regular testing of pathogens.
Protective porcine influenza virus-specific monoclonal antibodies recognize similar haemagglutinin epitopes as humans
Authors: Holzer Barbara , Rijal Pramila , McNee Adam , Paudyal Basudev , Martini Veronica , Clark Becky , Manjegowda Tanuja , Salguero Francisco J. , Bessell Emily , Schwartz John C. , Moffat Katy , Pedrera Miriam , Graham Simon P. , Noble Alistair , Bonnet-Di Placido Marie , La Ragione Roberto M. , Mwangi William , Beverley Peter , McCauley John W. , Daniels Rodney S. , Hammond John A. , Townsend Alain R. , Tchilian Elma
Published: March 2021

Pigs are natural hosts for the same subtypes of influenza A viruses as humans and integrally involved in virus evolution with frequent interspecies transmissions in both directions. The emergence of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus illustrates the importance of pigs in evolution of zoonotic strains. Here we generated pig influenza-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from H1N1pdm09 infected pigs. The mAbs recognized the same two major immunodominant haemagglutinin (HA) epitopes targeted by humans, one of which is not recognized by post-infection ferret antisera that are commonly used to monitor virus evolution. Neutralizing activity of the pig mAbs was comparable to that of potent human anti-HA mAbs. Further, prophylactic administration of a selected porcine mAb to pigs abolished lung viral load and greatly reduced lung pathology but did not eliminate nasal shedding of virus after H1N1pdm09 challenge. Hence mAbs from pigs, which target HA can significantly reduce disease severity. These results, together with the comparable sizes of pigs and humans, indicate that the pig is a valuable model for understanding how best to apply mAbs as therapy in humans and for monitoring antigenic drift of influenza viruses in humans, thereby providing information highly relevant to making influenza vaccine recommendations.
Bombay Hustle: Making Movies in a Colonial City, Debashree Mukherjee (2020)
Authors: Arvikar Hrishikesh
Published: March 2021

Review of: Bombay Hustle: Making Movies in a Colonial City, Debashree Mukherjee (2020)

New York: Columbia University Press, 443 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-23119-618-5, p/bk, ₹699
A IV. HR-tükör kutatás legfontosabb eredményei – HR a válság idején
Authors: Bokor Attila
Published: March 2021

A kutatás a vezetőkben a HR-szervezetről kialakult képet veti össze a HR önképével. Célja, hogy az egyezések, illetve eltérések mentén szervezeti párbeszéd induljon el, melynek fókusza a HR működésének, valamint a HR és a vezetők együttműködésének fejlesztése. Az eredmények azon túl, hogy közvetlenül is szolgálják a HR tevékenységének, valamint a vezetőkkel való együttműködésének a fejlesztését, egyben az egész HR-szakma számára nyújtanak egy helyzetképet. Ezzel lehetővé teszik egy olyan szakma fejlődési dilemmáinak, trendjeinek, valamint legjobb gyakorlatainak nyomon követését, melynek hazai elfogadottsága, elismertsége még kialakulóban van. A kutatással a szakmán belül folyó párbeszédhez és a szakmai identitás erősítéséhez, alakításához is hozzá kívánnak járulni a szerzők.
Érzelmek a munkahelyen
Authors: Lazányi Kornélia Rozália
Published: March 2021

Az érzelmek társas létünk alapjai. Észlelési szűrőként működnek, befolyásolják tudatos döntéseinket, sőt néha döntenek is helyettünk. Gyakran kerülünk azonban olyan helyzetbe, amikor spontán érzelmeink, illetve azok kimutatása negatív következményekkel jár(na). Az elfogadható érzelmek köre kultúránként, nemenként, életkoronként más és más. Az élet számos területén a nem adekvát érzelmek kimutatása illeszkedési problémákhoz vezet. Tiszteletben kell például tartanunk munkahelyünk érzelmi megnyilvánulásokra vonatkozó normáit. A munkahelyi írott vagy íratlan szabályok követése fokozottan hangsúlyos, hiszen a normáknak való megfelelés támogatja, azok figyelmen kívül hagyása pedig gátolja az egyéni karrierterveket. Az érzelmi előírások súlyos megsértése akár a munkaviszony megszüntetését is eredményezheti. Éppen ezért a spontán érzelmek megváltoztatásának, szabályozásának a folyamata munkahelyi környezetben a leginkább tetten érhető. A szerző tanulmányában a Debreceni Egyetem Orvos- és Egészségtudományi Centruma 167 alkalmazottjának példáján mutatja be, hogy a spontán érzelmek milyen gyakran nem esnek egybe az egyén által kimutatottakkal. Arra is rávilágít, hogy a spontán érzelmek, illetve azok tudatos eltitkolása, valamint a spontántól eltérő „hamis” érzelmek kimutatása hogyan befolyásolják a válaszadók élettel való elégedettségét.
Nemek egyenlőségének érvényesülése a foglalkoztatáspolitikai eszköztárban, az adó- és tb-rendszerekben, és hatásuk a nők foglalkoztatására
Authors: Borbély Szilvia
Published: March 2021

Az adó- és tb-rendszerek közvetlenül hatnak a jövedelemeloszlásra és a társadalom tagjainak a jólétére, a gyermekvállalásra, oktatásban való részvételére és az élet számos más fontos vetületére is. Az állástalanok és az inaktívak visszavezetését a munkaerőpiacra pedig aktív foglalkoztatáspolitikai eszközök támogatják. Messze nyúló következményei miatt hihetetlenül bonyolult feladat a nemek egyenlőségének érvényesítése e területeken, sőt vannak olyan hatásai is, amelyek előre nem ismerhetők fel, s ebben az összefüggésben utólag nehezen értelmezhetők. 2010 elején a Szociális és Munkaügyi Minisztérium számára készített kutatás során – hiánypótló jelleggel – a nemek egyenlősége és a nők munkavállalásának ösztönzése szempontjából a munkaerő-piaci eszközöket, az adórendszereket, az egészségügyi és nyugdíjrendszert, valamint a szociális ellátásokat vizsgálták. A kutatás során két horizontális vizsgálat is megvalósult: az egyik témája az egyes témaköröket, részkérdéseket illető nemzetközi tapasztalatok és elméletek, a másiké a jogi vonatkozások feldolgozása volt.
The Olive Quick Decline Syndrome: A Syndemic Outbreak in the Apulia Region, Southern Italy
Authors: Nuti Marco , Giovannetti Giusto , Scortichini Marco , Pergolese Giovanni , Saracino Michele , Doveri Giorgio
Published: March 2021

Since a decade in Apulia, south-east of Italy, an increasing number of olive trees developed the quick decline syndrome (OQDS) leading to partial or total dessication of the canopy and subsequent death. Currently six million of olive trees show the symptoms of the decline, despite the mitigation measures which were undertaken to contrast the progression of the dessication. Associated with the syndrome, several phytopathogenic fungi were detected in the rhizosphere, endosphere and phyllosphere of the trees, along with the phytopathogenic bacterium Xylellafastidiosasubsp. pauca. Alongside, other pathogenic events were clearly identified, mostly defeating soil resilience: salinization, pollution, erosion, decline of biodiversity. Further events include delays in the adoption of appropriate mitigation measures not directed to challenge solely a bacterial pathogen, misuse of the territory, erratic agronomic management practices. The OQDS impacted also societal aspects. All the above concurrent causes strongly suggest that (1) the olive quick decline in Apulia is not a too symplistic epidemic outbreak due to a bacterium, but rather a syndemic outbreak formed by several diverse biotic and abiotic pathologies and (2) only a more holistic approach can help coping with the uncertainties and difficulties of an enduring co- existance with this syndemic events.
El debate teológico-político sobre el Reino en la Europa de entreguerras
Authors: Margenat Peralta Josep M.
Published: March 2021

Aunque la cuestión teológico-política del Reino no fuese nueva en la Europa de entreguerras, los debates sobre la realización histórica del Reino y sobre el mesianismo abrieron nuevas perspectivas influidas por el auge de los totalitarismos fascista, comunista y racista, las debilidades de los Estados liberales y la resistencia católica ante los usos políticamente no ingenuos pretendidos por Action Française, por la Reichstheologie y por otros. El artículo presenta la discusión sobre aquellas posiciones y subraya la persistente ambigüedad de toda utilización teológico-política del significado del Reino y las posibilidades de un proyecto histórico de matriz cristiana consciente de su raíz judía y de la permanente reserva escatológica que previene al cristianismo ante la pretensión de considerar un sistema socioeconómico o político cualesquiera como algo definitivo. El mesianismo conforma cada vez más una instancia crítica ante un Reino realizado en la tierra.
FaMI Reloaded
Authors: Holste-Flinspach Karin
Published: March 2021

Die 1998 in Kraft getretene Berufsausbildung zum / zur Fachangestellten für Medien- und Informationsdienste (FaMI) ist in die Jahre gekommen. Ausgelöst vor allem durch den zunehmend gesehenen Novellierungsbedarf in der Bibliotheksöffentlichkeit und deren Berufsverbänden (hauptsächlich des BIB) hat nunmehr die Voruntersuchung der FaMI-Berufsausbildung durch das Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung nach Beauftragung durch das Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie und das Bundesinnenministerium im Einvernehmen mit dem Bundesbildungsministerium begonnen. Untersucht wird die Aktualität der Ausbildungsinhalte und der sich daraus ergebenden Änderungsnotwendigkeiten der Ausbildungsinhalte in Ausbildungsordnung und Rahmenlehrplan.
Ein virtueller Spaziergang durch kirchliche Bibliotheken im deutschen Sprachraum und die Bibliotheken des Vatikans
Authors: Tausch Arno
Published: March 2021

Dieser Artikel betrachtet mit ausgewählten Indikatoren der Katalogentwicklung die Bedeutung und Leistungsfähigkeit kirchlicher Bibliotheken im deutschen Sprachraum und der Bibliotheken des Vatikans. Der Artikel dokumentiert zunächst die elektronischen Zugangsmöglichkeiten zu diesen Bibliotheken und listet dann die Zahlen der Bestände mit Titelwörtern aktueller prägender Ereignisse, Begriffe und gesellschaftspolitischer Debatten des 20. und 21. Jahrhunderts auf. Da ein guter Teil der heutigen gesellschaftspolitischen Literatur auf Englisch publiziert wird, wurden englischsprachige Titel-Suchprofilworte verwendet.

Die Bibliotheken wurden auch nach dem Vorhandensein der Werke von zwei für das Engagement der Weltkirche sehr prägenden Autoren getestet. Dies waren die Werke von Jules Isaac, 1877–1963, weil er jener jüdische Autor war, der zur epochalen Konzilserklärung „Nostra Aetate“ 1965 beitrug, die den kirchlichen Antisemitismus von zwei Jahrtausenden beenden sollte, und die Werke von Thomas Piketty, der heute zum Problem der Ungleichheit einen fundamentalen Beitrag leistet. Sowohl Klimawandel als auch Ungleichheit spielen im Lehramt von Papst Franziskus eine herausragende Rolle.

Wir erfassen die internationale Katalogentwicklung zu den genannten Themen an Hand des OCLC Worldcat, und stellen dann fest, wieviel Promille dieser weltweiten Literatur in den kirchlichen Bibliotheken des deutschen Sprachraums, in der Vatikanbibliothek und in der Bibliothek der Jesuitenuniversität Gregoriana in Rom vorhanden ist.

Der Befund ist, dass die Vatikanbibliothek und auch die Bibliotheken der Päpstlichen Universitäten nicht auf der Höhe der Zeit und – bezogen auf die internationale Katalogentwicklung – absolut mangelhaft sind. Hinzu kommt, dass die Vatikanbibliothek selbst eine Sammlung nationalsozialistischer und faschistischer Literatur besitzt, die von Adolf Hitler über Alfred Rosenberg bis zu Antonio Salazar reicht. Selbst im Kernbereich der Bibliothek des Vatikans – der Theologie – gibt es aus der Sicht einer Weltkirche, wie Papst Franziskus sie versteht, große Lücken: Nur ein einziges Buch ist vorhanden – eine Schrift mit dem Vorwort von Gustavo Gutierrez, dem bedeutendsten Vertreter der Befreiungstheologie Lateinamerikas.
Design of a structure model set for inorganic compounds based on ping-pong balls linked with snap buttons
Authors: Horikoshi Ryo , Higashino Hiroyuki , Kobayashi Yoji , Kageyama Hiroshi
Published: March 2021

Structure model sets for inorganic compounds are generally expensive; their distribution to all students in a class is therefore usually impractical. We have therefore developed a structure model set to illustrate inorganic compounds. The set is constructed with inexpensive materials: ping-pong balls, and snap buttons. The structure model set can be used to illustrate isomerism in coordination compounds and periodic structures of ceramic perovskites. A hands-on activity using the structure model set was developed for high school students and was well-received by them. Despite the concepts being slightly advanced for them, the students’ retention of the knowledge gained through the activity was tested a week after they completed the activity and was found to be relatively high, demonstrating the usefulness of the activity based on the structure model set.
Microstructure and mechanical property improvement of dissimilar metal joints for TC4 Ti alloy to Nitinol NiTi alloy by laser welding
Authors: Zhang Yan , Yu DeShui , Zhou JianPing , Sun DaQian , Li HongMei
Published: March 2021

To avoid the formation of Ti-Ni intermetallics in a joint, three laser welding processes for Ti alloy–NiTi alloy joints were introduced. Sample A was formed while a laser acted at the Ti alloy–NiTi alloy interface, and the joint fractured along the weld centre line immediately after welding without filler metal. Sample B was formed while the laser acted on a Cu interlayer. The average tensile strength of sample B was 216 MPa. Sample C was formed while the laser acted 1.2 mm on the Ti alloy side. The one-pass welding process involved the creation of a joint with one fusion weld and one diffusion weld separated by the remaining unmelted Ti alloy. The mechanical performance of sample C was determined by the diffusion weld formed at the Ti alloy–NiTi alloy interface with a tensile strength of 256 MPa.
N-soliton solutions and the Hirota conditions in (1 + 1)-dimensions
Authors: Ma Wen-Xiu
Published: March 2021

We analyze N-soliton solutions and explore the Hirota N-soliton conditions for scalar (1 + 1)-dimensional equations, within the Hirota bilinear formulation. An algorithm to verify the Hirota conditions is proposed by factoring out common factors out of the Hirota function in N wave vectors and comparing degrees of the involved polynomials containing the common factors. Applications to a class of generalized KdV equations and a class of generalized higher-order KdV equations are made, together with all proofs of the existence of N-soliton solutions to all equations in two classes.
Use of cannabinoids for the treatment of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Forsythe Marika L. , Boileau Andrew J.
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a diagnosis of extreme anxiety caused by a traumatic event. Less than 10% of individuals who have experienced severe trauma will develop this disorder. Treatment options include various psychotherapies, but not all patients respond to them. Different pharmacological approaches have been explored as potential adjuvants, including using cannabinoids to target the endocannabinoid system to reduce the symptoms and enhance extinction training over the associated fear memories. This review was aimed to determine the effects of using cannabinoids for treatment of PTSD.

Content

For this review, four cohort studies, four randomized clinical trials, one case report, and one case series were obtained from PubMed within the last 10 years. Cannabis extracts, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), and synthetic cannabinoids were used in the studies to target the cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2. Cannabinoids were shown to improve overall PTSD symptoms, including sleep quality and quantity, hyperarousal, and treatment-resistant nightmares. When participants were undergoing extinction training, cannabinoids given within the same time interval enhanced consolidation and retention.

Summary and Outlook

Cannabinoids have been shown to be an effective treatment option for patients with PTSD. Besides aiding to relieve the symptoms and enhance extinction training, they also are relatively well tolerated. Common adverse effects included light-headedness, forgetfulness, dizziness, and headaches.
Efficacy of implementing intermittent STOP THE BLEED® reviews on long term retention of hemorrhage control skills of first year medical students
Authors: Sainbayar Enkhtsogt , Holt Nathan , Jacobson Amber , Bhatia Shalini , Weaver Christina
Published: March 2021

Context

Some medical schools integrate STOP THE BLEED® training into their curricula to teach students how to identify and stop life threatening bleeds; these classes that are taught as single day didactic and hands-on training sessions without posttraining reviews. To improve retention and confidence in hemorrhage control, additional review opportunities are necessary.

Objectives

To investigate whether intermittent STOP THE BLEED® reviews were effective for long term retention of hemorrhage control skills and improving perceived confidence.

Methods

First year osteopathic medical students were asked to complete an eight item survey (five Likert scale and three quiz format questions) before (pretraining) and after (posttraining) completing a STOP THE BLEED® training session. After the surveys were collected, students were randomly assigned to one of two study groups. Over a 12 week intervention period, each group watched a 4 min STOP THE BLEED® review video (intervention group) or a “distractor” video (control group) at 4 week intervals. After the 12 weeks, the students were asked to complete an 11 item survey.

Results

Scores on the posttraining survey were higher than the pretraining survey. The median score on the five Likert scale items was 23 points for the posttraining survey and 14 points for the pretraining survey. Two of the three knowledge based quiz format questions significantly improved from pretraining to posttraining (both p<0.001). On the 11 item postintervention survey, both groups performed similarly on the three quiz questions (all p>0.18), but the intervention group had much higher scores on the Likert scale items than the control group regarding their confidence in their ability to identify and control bleeding (intervention group median = 21.4 points vs. control group median = 16.8 points).

Conclusions

Intermittent review videos for STOP THE BLEED® training improved medical students’ confidence in their hemorrhage control skills, but the videos did not improve their ability to correctly answer quiz-format questions compared with the control group.