bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neural processes for live pro-social dialogue between dyads with socioeconomic disparity
Authors: Descorbeth Olivia , Zhang Xian , Noah J Adam , Hirsch Joy
Published: August 2020

An emerging theoretical framework suggests that neural functions associated with stereotyping and prejudice are associated with frontal lobe networks. Using a novel neuroimaging technique, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), during a face-to-face live communication paradigm, we explore an extension of this model to include live dynamic interactions. Neural activations were compared for dyads of similar and dissimilar socioeconomic backgrounds. The socioeconomic status of each participant was based on education and income levels. Both groups of dyads engaged in pro-social dialectic discourse during acquisition of hemodynamic signals. Post-scan questionnaires confirmed increased anxiety and effort for high-disparity dyads. Consistent with the frontal lobe hypothesis, left dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex (DLPFC), frontopolar area and pars triangularis were more active during speech dialogue in high than in low-disparity groups. Further, frontal lobe signals were more synchronous across brains for high- than low-disparity dyads. Convergence of these behavioral, neuroimaging and neural coupling findings associate left frontal lobe processes with natural pro-social dialogue under ‘out-group’ conditions and advance both theoretical and technical approaches for further investigation.
Comparison between oral ferrous sulfate and intravenous ferric carboxymaltose in children with restless sleep disorder
Authors: DelRosso Lourdes M , Picchietti Daniel L , Ferri Raffaele
Published: August 2020

Study Objectives

Recent work has identified clinical and polysomnographic features of a newly defined pediatric sleep disorder, restless sleep disorder (RSD). One of these features is low serum ferritin. In this retrospective, pilot study, we assess the response to iron supplementation. Children were given oral ferrous sulfate (FS) or intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (IV FCM).

Methods

Children 5–18 years old with a diagnosis of RSD were evaluated clinically. Serum ferritin, iron profile, and video-polysomnography were obtained at baseline. Oral or IV iron supplementation was offered as part of routine care. Oral FS was one 325 mg tablet daily or 3 mg/kg/day liquid for 3 months. IV FCM was 15 mg/kg, up to 750 mg as a single infusion. Adverse effects were assessed. Ferritin and iron profile were checked after 2–3 months. Eight weeks after FCM, the phosphorus level was checked. Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale was obtained pre- and posttreatment.

Results

A total of 15 children received oral FS and 15 IV FCM. Baseline RSD severity, age, gender, or pretreatment lab values did not differ significantly between groups. CGI-improvement median score was “minimally improved” after oral FS and “much improved” after IV FCM (effect size 1.008, p < 0.023). All iron parameters were found to be significantly higher after intravenous iron treatment than oral iron, especially ferritin (effect size 3.743, p < 0.00003). Adverse effects: constipation, three with FS; noncompliance, one with FS; syncope, one with FCM infusion; and hypophosphatemia, zero post-FCM.

Conclusions

In this retrospective, clinical case series, RSD responded to iron supplementation with improvement in both clinical and laboratory parameters. The response was greater with IV FCM than oral FS.
A Total-Evidence Dated Phylogeny of Echinoidea Combining Phylogenomic and Paleontological Data
Authors: Mongiardino Koch Nicolás , Thompson Jeffrey R
Published: August 2020

Phylogenomic and paleontological data constitute complementary resources for unraveling the phylogenetic relationships and divergence times of lineages, yet few studies have attempted to fully integrate them. Several unique properties of echinoids (sea urchins) make them especially useful for such synthesizing approaches, including a remarkable fossil record that can be incorporated into explicit phylogenetic hypotheses. We revisit the phylogeny of crown group Echinoidea using a total-evidence dating approach that combines the largest phylogenomic data set for the clade, a large-scale morphological matrix with a dense fossil sampling, and a novel compendium of tip and node age constraints. To this end, we develop a novel method for subsampling phylogenomic data sets that selects loci with high phylogenetic signal, low systematic biases, and enhanced clock-like behavior. Our results demonstrate that combining different data sources increases topological accuracy and helps resolve conflicts between molecular and morphological data. Notably, we present a new hypothesis for the origin of sand dollars, and restructure the relationships between stem and crown echinoids in a way that implies a long stretch of undiscovered evolutionary history of the crown group in the late Paleozoic. Our efforts help bridge the gap between phylogenomics and phylogenetic paleontology, providing a model example of the benefits of combining the two. [Echinoidea; fossils; paleontology; phylogenomics; time calibration; total evidence.]
Restricting Visual Exploration Directly Impedes Neural Activity, Functional Connectivity, and Memory
Authors: Liu Zhong-Xu , Rosenbaum R Shayna , Ryan Jennifer D
Published: August 2020

We move our eyes to explore the visual world, extract information, and create memories. The number of gaze fixations—the stops that the eyes make—has been shown to correlate with activity in the hippocampus, a region critical for memory, and with later recognition memory. Here, we combined eyetracking with fMRI to provide direct evidence for the relationships between gaze fixations, neural activity, and memory during scene viewing. Compared to free viewing, fixating a single location reduced: 1) subsequent memory, 2) neural activity along the ventral visual stream into the hippocampus, 3) neural similarity between effects of subsequent memory and visual exploration, and 4) functional connectivity among the hippocampus, parahippocampal place area, and other cortical regions. Gaze fixations were uniquely related to hippocampal activity, even after controlling for neural effects due to subsequent memory. Therefore, this study provides key causal evidence supporting the notion that the oculomotor and memory systems are intrinsically related at both the behavioral and neural level. Individual gaze fixations may provide the basic unit of information on which memory binding processes operate.
Comprehensive microbiome and metabolome analyses reveal the physiological mechanism of chlorotic Areca leaves
Authors: Zhang Lin , Yin Xiaojian , Zhang Jiachao , Wei Yunxie , Huo Dongxue , Ma Chenchen , Chang Haibo , Cai Kun , Shi Haitao
Published: August 2020

As an important economic crop in tropical areas, Areca catechu L. affects the livelihood of millions of farmers. The Areca yellow leaf phenomenon (AYLP) leads to severe crop losses and plant death. To better understand the relationship of microbes and chlorotic Areca leaves, microbial community structure as well as its correlation with differential metabolites was investigated by high-throughput sequencing and metabolomic approaches. High-throughput sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 1 and 16S rRNA gene revealed that fungal diversity was dominated by Ascomycota and the bacterial community consisted of Proteobacteria as well as Actinobacteria. The microbiota structure on chlorotic Areca leaves exhibited significant changes based on non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis, which were attributed to 477 bacterial genera and 183 fungal genera. According to the results of the Kruskal–Wallis test, several potential pathogens were enriched on chlorotic Areca leaves. Further analysis based on metabolic pathways predicted by Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States revealed the metabolism of half-yellow leaves and yellow leaves microbiota were significantly elevated in amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, partial xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism. Furthermore, 22 significantly variable metabolites in Areca leaves were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry and statistical analysis. Moreover, we further investigated the correlation between the predominant microbes and differential metabolites. Taken together, the association between AYLP and microbiome of Areca leaves was explored from the microecological perspective by omics techniques, and these findings provide new insights into possible prevention, monitoring and control of AYLP in the future.
Occurrence and Identification of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis and Dickeya dianthicola Causing Blackleg in Some Potato Fields in Serbia
Authors: Marković Sanja , Stanković Slaviša , Jelušić Aleksandra , Iličić Renata , Kosovac Andrea , Poštić Dobrivoj , Popović Tatjana
Published: August 2020

Blackleg outbreaks were noticed on three fields (about 100 ha total) in 2 consecutive years (2018, 2019) in one of the main potato growing areas in Serbia (Bačka region, Vojvodina). The percentage of infected plants reached 40 to 70%, with 10.5 to 44.7% yield reductions. From the three fields, out of 90 samples Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis was most frequently identified and diagnosed as causal agent of potato blackleg in Serbia for the first time (29 isolates). Dickeya dianthicola was a less frequently causative bacterium, which was also noticed for the first time (nine isolates). A total of 38 isolates were characterized based on their phenotypic and genetic features, including a pathogenicity test on potato. The repetitive element PCR (rep-PCR) using BOX, REP, and ERIC primer pairs differentiated five genetic profiles among 38 tested isolates. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of four housekeeping genes, acnA, gapA, icdA, and mdh, revealed the presence of three so far unknown P. c. subsp. brasiliensis multilocus genotypes and confirmed clustering into two main genetic clades as determined in other studies. MLSA also revealed the presence of a new genotype of D. dianthicola in Serbia.
Reduced Root Secretion of Valine in Rosa–Microbe Interaction Contributes to the Decreased Colonization of Pathogenic Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Authors: Chen Lin , Ma Qinghua , Liu Huihui , Bian Lusen , Wang Xinghong , Liu Yunpeng
Published: August 2020

Root exudates play a critical role in root–microbe interactions. Agrobacterium tumefaciens causes crown gall disease in multiple plant species, but rose root exudate-mediated inhibition of Agrobacterium in the rhizosphere is poorly understood. In this study, the influence of preinoculation with beneficial bacteria or pathogens on root exudates and subsequent colonization by A. tumefaciens was investigated in a split-root system. We found that preinoculation of rose plants in a split-root system with Bacillus velezensis CLA178 or A. tumefaciens C58 inhibited subsequent colonization by C58. Root secretion of valine had positive effects on the chemotaxis, biofilm formation, colonization of C58, and crown gall disease severity, but valine secretion decreased significantly when Rosa multiflora plants were preinoculated with CLA178 or C58. These results indicated that rose plants reduced root secretion of valine in response to microbial colonization, thereby reducing the colonization of Agrobacterium colonization and disease severity. This study provides new insights into the root exudate-mediated interactions of rose plants, B. velezensis, and A. tumefaciens and proposes a potential way to control crown gall disease.
Criteria Used for the Diagnosis of Myofascial Trigger Points in Clinical Trials on Physical Therapy
Authors: Li Lihui , Stoop Rahel , Clijsen Ron , Hohenauer Erich , Fernández-de-las-Peñas César , Huang Qiangmin , Barbero Marco
Published: August 2020

Objective:

The objective of this study was to conduct an updated systematic review of diagnostic criteria for myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) used in clinical trials of physical therapy interventions from 2007 to 2019.

Methods:

MEDLINE and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) were searched using the following MeSH keywords: “trigger points,” “trigger point,” “myofascial trigger point,” “myofascial trigger points,” “myofascial pain,” and “myofascial pain syndrome.” The MeSH keywords were combined by using Boolean operators “OR”/“AND.” All physiotherapy clinical trials including patients with musculoskeletal conditions characterized by at least 1 active MTrP or latent MTrP in any body area were selected. We pooled data from an individual criterion and criteria combinations used to diagnose MTrPs. The protocol was developed in accordance with the PRISMA-P guidelines.

Results:

Of 478 possibly relevant publications, 198 met the inclusion criteria. Of these 198 studies, 129 studies (65.1%) stated specifically the diagnostic criteria used for MTrPs in the main text, 56 studies (28.3%) failed to report any method whereby MTrP was diagnosed, and 13 studies (6.6%) adopted expert-based definitions for MTrPs without specification. Of 129 studies, the 6 criteria applied most commonly were: “spot tenderness” (n=125, 96.9%), “referred pain” (95, 73.6%), “local twitch response” (63, 48.8%), pain recognition (59, 45.7%), limited range of motion” (29, 22.5%), and “jump sign” (10, 7.8%). Twenty-three combinations of diagnostic criteria were identified. The most frequently used combination was “spot tenderness,” “referred pain,” and “local twitch response” (n=28 studies, 22%).

Conclusions:

A number of the included studies failed in properly reporting the MTrP diagnostic criteria. Moreover, high variability in the use of MTrP diagnostic was also observed. Spot tenderness, referred pain, and local twitch response were the 3 most popular criteria (and the most frequently used combination). A lack of transparency in the reporting of MTrP diagnostic criteria is present in the literature.

Registry:

This systematic review was registered under the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, PROSPERO number: CRD42018087420.
Technique Tip: Combined Suspensory and Aperture Fixation of Posterior Tibialis Tendon Anterior Transfer for Dropfoot
Authors: Navratil Richard , Green Gemma , Ogilvie Andrew , Ray Robbie
Published: August 2020

Anterior transfer of the tibialis posterior tendon is a widely used technique to restore ankle dorsiflexion in patients suffering from a foot drop. One of the limitations of this procedure is the need for postoperative ankle immobilization, which can lead to a number of complications—muscle atrophy, joint stiffness, adhesions, and venous thromboembolism, to name a few. We present a new way of tendon docking which enables patients to weight-bear immediately after surgery, thus significantly reducing the above mentioned risks. This modification addresses the weakest point of the fixation—the tendon/screw interface, by utilizing a tension slide bicortical biceps button. Our initial case series of 8 patients (9 feet) has shown good results with no patients showing late radiologic or clinical loss of fixation of the construct at 6 months follow-up.

Level of Evidence: Diagnostic Level IV–case series. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Effect of mean arterial pressure change by norepinephrine on peripheral perfusion index in septic shock patients after early resuscitation
Authors: He Huai-Wu , Liu Wang-Lin , Zhou Xiang , Long Yun , Liu Da-Wei
Published: August 2020

Background

The peripheral perfusion index (PI), as a real-time bedside indicator of peripheral tissue perfusion, may be useful for determining mean arterial pressure (MAP) after early resuscitation of septic shock patients. The aim of this study was to explore the response of PI to norepinephrine (NE)-induced changes in MAP.

Methods

Twenty septic shock patients with pulse-induced contour cardiac output catheter, who had usual MAP under NE infusion after early resuscitation, were enrolled in this prospective, open-label study. Three MAP levels (usual MAP −10 mmHg, usual MAP, and usual MAP +10 mmHg) were obtained by NE titration, and the corresponding global hemodynamic parameters and PI were recorded. The general linear model with repeated measures was used for analysis of variance of related parameters at three MAP levels.

Results

With increasing NE infusion, significant changes were found in MAP (F = 502.46, P < 0.001) and central venous pressure (F = 27.45, P < 0.001) during NE titration. However, there was not a significant and consistent change in continuous cardiac output (CO) (F = 0.41, P = 0.720) and PI (F = 0.73, P = 0.482) at different MAP levels. Of the 20 patients enrolled, seven reached the maximum PI value at usual MAP −10 mmHg, three reached the maximum PI value at usual MAP, and ten reached the maximum PI value at usual MAP +10 mmHg. The change in PI was not significantly correlated with the change in CO (r = 0.260, P = 0.269) from usual MAP −10 mmHg to usual MAP. There was also no significant correlation between the change in PI and change in CO (r = 0.084, P = 0.726) from usual MAP to usual MAP +10 mmHg.

Conclusions

Differing MAP levels by NE infusion induced diverse PI responses in septic shock patients, and these PI responses may be independent of the change in CO. PI may have potential applications for MAP optimization based on changes in peripheral tissue perfusion.
Radiotherapy in Early-stage Gastric MALT
Authors: De Leo Alexandra N. , Bates James E. , Lockney Natalie A. , Mendenhall Nancy P. , Shaikh Marwan E. , Morris Christopher G. , Hoppe Bradford S.
Published: August 2020

Purpose:

Radiotherapy (RT) is an effective treatment for localized gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas unresponsive to antibiotic therapy; however, irradiating the stomach can result in significant radiation to the heart, a risk factor for cardiac disease. We analyzed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database to evaluate outcomes related to cardiac disease among patients treated with RT for stage I gastric MALT.

Materials and Methods:

We identified adult patients treated between 1993 and 2014. The relationship between treatment modality (RT, chemotherapy, combination, and no treatment) and overall survival (OS), mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-specific survival (MSS), non-mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-specific survival (non-MSS), and cardiac-specific survival (CSS) was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox proportional hazards analyses.

Results:

A total of 2996 patients (median follow-up, 5.6 y) were analyzed: 27.5% had received RT alone, 12.1% chemotherapy alone, 3.9% chemoradiotherapy, and 56.5% no/unknown treatment (including antibiotic therapy). Compared with RT alone, patients who received chemotherapy alone exhibited worse OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.32-2.10; P<0.001) and MSS (HR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.36-3.23; P=0.001). Although CSS appeared worse in patients who received chemotherapy (HR: 1.56; 95% CI: 0.92-2.66; P=0.10), it was not statistically significant. When comparing orbital and gastric MALT patients, there was no significant difference in CSS (HR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.49-1.31; P=0.38).

Conclusions:

RT improved survival among patients with stage I gastric MALT without increasing the risk of cardiac death. Those with gastric MALT exhibited similar CSS to those with orbital MALT. Although we cannot analyze nonfatal cardiac toxicity, these results suggest that, absent antibiotic therapy, RT should remain first-line treatment for early-stage gastric MALT.
Heart Attacks, Bloody Noses, and Other “Emotional Problems”
Authors: Flynn Michael A. , Eggerth Donald E. , Jacobson C. Jeffery , Lyon Sarah M.
Published: August 2020

This article examines how respondents understood items in the Spanish versions of the Short-Form 36 (SF-36v2). Cognitive interviews of the SF-36 were conducted in 2 phases with 46 Spanish speakers living in the United States. Roughly one-third (17/46) of respondents had difficulty understanding the Role Emotional items upon their initial reading, and almost half (21/46) provided examples that were inconsistent with the intended meaning of the items. The findings of this study underscore the importance of conducting cognitive testing to ensure conceptual equivalence of any instrument regardless of how well validated it appears to be.
What Is the Difference in Cranial Base Morphology in Isolated and Syndromic Bicoronal Synostosis?
Authors: Lu Xiaona , Forte Antonio Jorge , Wilson Alexander T. , Park Kitae Eric , Allam Omar , Mozaffari Mohammad Ali , Alperovich Michael , Steinbacher Derek M. , Alonso Nivaldo , Persing John A.
Published: August 2020

Background:

The association of isolated craniosynostosis and the influence of syndromic forms confound the understanding of craniofacial morphologic development. This study attempts to clarify the individual influences of isolated bicoronal synostosis, Apert syndrome, and Crouzon syndromes on skull base morphology.

Methods::

One hundred seventeen computed tomographic scans were included (nonsyndromic bicoronal synostosis, n = 36; Apert syndrome with bicoronal synostosis, n = 25; Crouzon syndrome with bicoronal synostosis, n = 11; controls, n = 45). Cephalometric measurements were analyzed using Materialise software.

Results:

Nonsyndromic bicoronal synostosis patients developed a shortened cranial base length, with a significantly shortened distance between nasion and sella (p = 0.005). The cranial base angles of nonsyndromic bicoronal synostosis in both the cranial side (N-S-BA) and facial side (N-SO-BA) increased significantly, by 17.04 degrees (p < 0.001) and 11.75 degrees (p < 0.001), respectively. However, both the N-S-BA and N-SO-BA angles of Apert syndrome and Crouzon syndrome were narrowed more than that of nonsyndromic bicoronal synostosis [by 12.11 degrees (p < 0.001) and 12.44 degrees (p < 0.001), respectively, in Apert syndrome; and by 11.66 degrees (p = 0.007) and 13.71 degrees (p = 0.007), respectively, in Crouzon syndrome]. However, there is no statistically significant difference of these two angles between Apert syndrome and Crouzon syndrome, when they were only associated with bicoronal synostosis. Contrary to the relatively normal subcranial space of nonsyndromic bicoronal synostosis, both Apert and Crouzon syndromes developed a reduced subcranial space.

Conclusions:

Isolated bicoronal synostosis resulted in a flattened cranial base, whereas Apert syndrome and Crouzon syndrome developed a normal cranial base angle when only associated with bicoronal synostosis. The syndromic skulls had additional significantly reduced subcranial space.
The Potential Role of Smart Infusion Devices in Preventing or Contributing to Medication Administration Errors: A Descriptive Study of 2 Data Sets
Authors: Jani Yogini H. , Chumbley Gillian M. , Furniss Dominic , Blandford Ann , Franklin Bryony
Published: August 2020

Objectives

Errors in medication administration are common, with many interventions suggested to reduce them. For intravenous infusion–related errors, “smart infusion devices” incorporating dose error reduction software are widely advocated. Our aim was to explore the role of smart infusion devices in preventing or contributing to medication administration errors using retrospective review of 2 complementary data sets that collectively included a wide range of errors with different levels of actual or potential harm.

Methods

We reviewed 216 medication administration errors identified from an observational study in clinical practice and 123 medication incidents involving infusion devices reported to a national reporting system. The impact of smart infusion devices in preventing or contributing to these errors was assessed by the research team and an expert panel.

Results

The data suggest that use of any infusion device rather than gravitational administration may have prevented 13% of observed errors and 8% of reported incidents; additional reductions may be possible with standalone smart infusion devices, and further potential reductions with smart infusion devices integrated with electronic prescribing and barcode administration systems. An estimated 52% to 73% of errors that occurred with traditional infusion pumps could be prevented with such integrated smart infusion devices. In the few cases where smart infusion devices were used, these contributed to errors in 2 of 58 observed errors and 7 of 8 reported incidents.

Conclusions

Smart infusion devices not only prevent some medication administration errors but can also contribute to them. Further evaluation of such systems is required to make recommendations for policy and practice.
Computed Tomography Radiomics Can Predict Disease Severity and Outcome in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pneumonia
Authors: Homayounieh Fatemeh , Babaei Rosa , Karimi Mobin Hadi , Arru Chiara D. , Sharifian Maedeh , Mohseni Iman , Zhang Eric , Digumarthy Subba R. , Kalra Mannudeep K.
Published: August 2020

Purpose

This study aimed to assess if computed tomography (CT) radiomics can predict the severity and outcome of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia.

Methods

This institutional ethical board–approved study included 92 patients (mean age, 59 ± 17 years; 57 men, 35 women) with positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay for COVID-19 infection who underwent noncontrast chest CT. Two radiologists evaluated all chest CT examinations and recorded opacity type, distribution, and extent of lobar involvement. Information on symptom duration before hospital admission, the period of hospital admission, presence of comorbid conditions, laboratory data, and outcomes (recovery or death) was obtained from the medical records. The entire lung volume was segmented on thin-section Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine images to derive whole-lung radiomics. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression with receiver operator characteristic area under the curve (AUC) as the output.

Results

Computed tomography radiomics (AUC, 0.99) outperformed clinical variables (AUC, 0.89) for prediction of the extent of pulmonary opacities related to COVID-19 pneumonia. Type of pulmonary opacities could be predicted with CT radiomics (AUC, 0.77) but not with clinical or laboratory data (AUC, <0.56; P > 0.05). Prediction of patient outcome with radiomics (AUC, 0.85) improved to an AUC of 0.90 with the addition of clinical variables (patient age and duration of presenting symptoms before admission). Among clinical variables, the combination of peripheral capillary oxygen saturation on hospital admission, duration of symptoms, platelet counts, and patient age provided an AUC of 0.81 for predicting patient outcomes.

Conclusions

Radiomics from noncontrast CT reliably predict disease severity (AUC, 0.99) and outcome (AUC, 0.85) in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.
The First Dorsal Metacarpal Artery Free Flap for Salvage of Nasal Reconstructions
Authors: Walton Robert L. , Harris Emily A.
Published: August 2020

The first dorsal metacarpal artery free flap is widely known for its use as a pedicled flap in thumb and hand reconstruction; however, its potential for use as a free flap is less well known. We previously described successful use of the first dorsal metacarpal artery free flap for salvage of a subtotal nasal reconstruction. In this retrospective study, we have expanded our experience to 7 consecutive cases in which a FDMFF was utilized to salvage a nasal reconstruction. Single island flaps were used in 6 of 7 cases, in one case a double island configuration was utilized. Sites restored included the columella (5 patients), membranous septum (1 patient), and nasal sidewall (1 patient). Vascular repairs were to the angular artery and vein (2 patients) or the vascular pedicle of a prior free flap (5 patients). There were no flap failures or major complications. The dorsal hand donor sites were uniformly closed using full-thickness skin grafts. All of the salvage nasal reconstructions were brought to a successful completion. Donor site morbidity was minimal with no compromise in hand function noted. Owing to its thinness, consistent anatomy, ease of harvest, and minimal donor site morbidity, the FDMFF has proved to be a very useful flap for restoration of small, but critical, nasal defects arising during the course of nasal reconstruction.
Our dreams, our selves: automatic analysis of dream reports
Authors: Fogli Alessandro , Maria Aiello Luca , Quercia Daniele
Published: August 2020

Sleep scientists have shown that dreaming helps people improve their waking lives, and they have done so by developing sophisticated content analysis scales. Dream analysis entails time-consuming manual annotation of text. That is why dream reports have been recently mined with algorithms, and these algorithms focused on identifying emotions. In so doing, researchers have not tackled two main technical challenges though: (i) how to mine aspects of dream reports that research has found important, such as characters and interactions; and (ii) how to do so in a principled way grounded in the literature. To tackle these challenges, we designed a tool that automatically scores dream reports by operationalizing the widely used dream analysis scale by Hall and Van de Castle. We validated the tool’s effectiveness on hand-annotated dream reports (the average error is 0.24), scored 24 000 reports—far more than any previous study—and tested what sleep scientists call the ‘continuity hypothesis’ at this unprecedented scale: we found supporting evidence that dreams are a continuation of what happens in everyday life. Our results suggest that it is possible to quantify important aspects of dreams, making it possible to build technologies that bridge the current gap between real life and dreaming.
Higher sociability leads to lower reproductive success in female kangaroos
Authors: Menz C. S. , Carter A. J. , Best E. C. , Freeman N. J. , Dwyer R. G. , Blomberg S. P. , Goldizen A. W.
Published: August 2020

In social mammals, social integration is generally assumed to improve females' reproductive success. Most species demonstrating this relationship exhibit complex forms of social bonds and interactions. However, female eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) exhibit differentiated social relationships, yet do not appear to cooperate directly. It is unclear what the fitness consequences of such sociability could be in species that do not exhibit obvious forms of cooperation. Using 4 years of life history, spatial and social data from a wild population of approximately 200 individually recognizable female eastern grey kangaroos, we tested whether higher levels of sociability are associated with greater reproductive success. Contrary to expectations, we found that the size of a female's social network, her numbers of preferential associations with other females and her group sizes all negatively influenced her reproductive success. These factors influenced the survival of dependent young that had left the pouch rather than those that were still in the pouch. We also show that primiparous females (first-time breeders) were less likely to have surviving young. Our findings suggest that social bonds are not always beneficial for reproductive success in group-living species, and that female kangaroos may experience trade-offs between successfully rearing young and maintaining affiliative relationships.
ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Nairoviridae
Authors: Garrison Aura R. , Alkhovsky [Альховский Сергей Владимирович] Sergey V. , Avšič-Županc Tatjana , Bente Dennis A. , Bergeron Éric , Burt Felicity , Di Paola Nicholas , Ergünay Koray , Hewson Roger , Kuhn Jens H. , Mirazimi Ali , Papa [Άννα Παπά] Anna , Sall Amadou Alpha , Spengler Jessica R. , Palacios Gustavo , Consortium ICTV Report
Published: August 2020

Members of the family Nairoviridae produce enveloped virions with three single-stranded RNA segments comprising 17.1 to 22.8 kb in total. These viruses are maintained in arthropods and transmitted by ticks to mammals or birds. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus is tick-borne and is endemic in most of Asia, Africa, Southern and Eastern Europe whereas Nairobi sheep disease virus, which is also tick-borne, causes lethal haemorrhagic gastroenteritis in small ruminants in Africa and India. This is a summary of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Report on the family Nairoviridae, which is available at ictv.global/report/nairoviridae.
Characterization of φEf-vB1 prophage infecting oral Enterococcus faecalis and enhancing bacterial biofilm formation
Authors: Askora Ahmed , El-Telbany Mohamed , El-Didamony Gamal , Ariny Eman , Askoura Momen
Published: August 2020

Introduction.Enterococcus faecalisis a facultative, anaerobic, opportunistic pathogen associated with medical and dental diseases. Bacterial phenotypic traits and pathogenesis are often influenced by lysogeny.

Aim.The aim of this study was to characterize both the morphology and complete genome sequences of induced prophages puriﬁed fromE. faecalisclinical isolates.

Methodology.E. faecalisisolates were recovered from the roots of teeth of patients attending an endodontic clinic. The morphological features of isolated phage were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). DNA sequencing was performed using the Illumina MiSeq platform.

Results.TEM indicated that the isolated φEf-vB1 prophage belongs to the familySiphoviridae. The φEf-vB1 prophage was stable over a wide range of temperatures and pH. Sequencing of φEf-vB1 DNA revealed that the phage genome is 37 561 bp in length with a G+C content of 37.6mol% and contained 53 ORFs. Comparison with previously predicted prophage genomes usingblastrevealed that φEf-vB1 has a high sequence similarity to previously characterized phage genomes. The lysogenicE. faecalisstrain exhibited a higher biofilm formation capacity relative to the non-lysogenic strain.

Conclusion.The current findings highlight the role of lysogeny in modification ofE. faecalisproperties and reveal the potential importance of prophages inE. faecalisbiology and pathogenesis.
Thymidine starvation promotes c-di-AMP dependent inflammation during infection
Authors: Tang Qing , Precit Mimi R. , Thomason Maureen K. , Ahmed-Qadri Fariha , McFarland Adelle P. , Wolter Daniel J. , Hoffman Lucas R. , Woodward Joshua J.
Published: August 2020

Antibiotics remain one of the most effective methods for controlling bacterial infection. However, the diverse impacts of antimicrobials on bacterial physiology and host immunity remain unclear. A comprehensive antibiotic screen revealed that disruption of thymidine synthesis in Firmicutes with anti-folate antibiotics promoted elevated levels of the bacterial second messenger cyclic di-AMP, and consequently induced host STING activation during infection. Extensive exposure to antibiotics targeting folate synthesis drives the emergence of thymidine-dependentStaphylococcus aureusSCVs (TD-SCVs). Respiratory infections with TD-SCVs are common among children with cystic fibrosis and are associated with worse clinical outcomes, although the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain to be defined. Our study reveals that TD-SCV isolates exhibited excessive c-di-AMP production and STING activation in a thymidine-dependent manner. Murine lung infection with TD-SCVs revealed STING-dependent elevation of proinflammatory cytokines, leading to higher airway neutrophil infiltration and activation comparing to normal colonyS. aureusand hemin-dependent SCV. Our results suggest the elevated inflammatory capacity of TD-SCVs contribute to their pathogenesis and revealed a new aspect of STING signaling in the airway by characterizing its role in neutrophil recruitment.
The inhaled steroid ciclesonide blocks SARS-CoV-2 RNA replication by targeting viral replication-transcription complex in culture cells
Authors: Matsuyama Shutoku , Kawase Miyuki , Nao Naganori , Shirato Kazuya , Ujike Makoto , Kamitani Wataru , Shimojima Masayuki , Fukushi Shuetsu
Published: August 2020

We screened steroid compounds to obtain a drug expected to block host inflammatory responses and MERS-CoV replication. Ciclesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid, suppressed replication of MERS-CoV and other coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, in cultured cells. The effective concentration (EC90) of ciclesonide for SARS-CoV-2 in differentiated human bronchial tracheal epithelial cells was 0.55 μM. Ciclesonide inhibited formation of double membrane vesicles, which anchor the viral replication-transcription complex in cells. Eight consecutive passages of 43 SARS-CoV-2 isolates in the presence of ciclesonide generated 15 resistant mutants harboring single amino acid substitutions in non-structural protein 3 (nsp3) or nsp4. Of note, ciclesonide still suppressed replication of all these mutants by 90% or more, suggesting that these mutants cannot completely overcome ciclesonide blockade. These observations indicate that the suppressive effect of ciclesonide on viral replication is specific to coronaviruses, highlighting it as a candidate drug for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Importance

The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, is ongoing. To identify the effective antiviral agents to combat the disease is urgently needed. In the present study, we found that an inhaled corticosteroid, ciclesonide suppresses replication of coronaviruses, including beta-coronaviruses (MHV-2, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2) and an alpha-coronavirus (HCoV-229E) in cultured cells. The inhaled ciclesonide is safe; indeed, it can be administered to infants at high concentrations. Thus, ciclesonide is expected to be a broad-spectrum antiviral drug that is effective against many members of the coronavirus family. It could be prescribed for the treatment of MERS, and COVID-19.
Current and emerging polymyxin resistance diagnostics: a systematic review of established and novel detection methods
Authors: Seipei Leshaba Tumisho Mmatumelo , Mbelle Nontombi Marylucy , Sekyere John Osei
Published: August 2020

Background

The emergence of polymyxin resistance, due to transferable mcr-genes, threatens public and animal health as there are limited therapeutic options. As polymyxin is one of the last-line antibiotics, there is a need to contain the spread of its resistance to conserve its efficacy. Herein, we describe current and emerging polymyxin resistance diagnostics to inform faster clinical diagnostic choices.

Methods

A literature search in diverse databases for studies published between 2016 and 2020 was performed. English articles evaluating colistin resistance methods/diagnostics were included.

Results

Screening resulted in the inclusion of 93 journal articles. Current colistin resistance diagnostics are either phenotypic or molecular. Broth microdilution (BMD) is currently the only gold standard for determining colistin MICs (minimum inhibitory concentration).

Phenotypic methods comprise of agar-based methods such as CHROMagar™ Col-APSE, SuperPolymyxin, ChromID® Colistin R, LBJMR, and LB medium; manual MIC-determiners viz., UMIC, MICRONAUT MIC-Strip (MMS), and ComASP Colistin; automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) systems such as BD Phoenix, MICRONAUT-S, MicroScan, Sensititre and Vitek 2; MCR-detectors such as lateral flow immunoassay (LFI) and chelator-based assays including EDTA- and DPA-based tests i.e. combined disk test (CDT), modified colistin broth-disk elution (CBDE), Colispot, and Colistin MAC test as well as biochemical colorimetric tests i.e. Rapid Polymyxin NP test and Rapid ResaPolymyxin NP test. Molecular methods only characterize mobile colistin resistance; they include PCR, LAMP, and whole-genome sequencing (WGS).

Conclusion

Due to the faster turnaround time (≤3h), improved sensitivity (84-100%), and specificity (93.3-100%) of the Rapid ResaPolymyxin NP test, we recommend this test for initial screening of colistin-resistant isolates. This can be followed by CBDE with EDTA or the LFI as they both have 100% sensitivity and a specificity of ≥ 94.3% for the rapid screening of mcr-genes. However, molecular assays such as LAMP and PCR may be considered in well-equipped clinical laboratories.

Author summary/highlights/importance

Polymyxin resistance is rapidly increasing, threatening public and veterinary healthcare.

As one of the last-line antibiotics, polymyxin must be conserved by containing the spread of polymyxin resistance.

Detecting colistin resistance relies on determining colistin MIC values by standard broth microdilution, which is labour-intensive with longer turnaround time (TAT).

Other polymyxin resistance diagnostics have been developed to augment or replace the broth microdilution with faster TAT.

Based on their respective sensitivities, specificities, TAT, skill, and cost, selected phenotypic and molecular assays are recommended for laboratories, according to their financial strengths, to enhance colistin resistance surveillance and control.
A randomized trial shows dose-frequency and genotype may determine the therapeutic efficacy of intranasal oxytocin
Authors: Kou Juan , Zhang Yingying , Zhou Feng , Sindermann Cornelia , Montag Christian , Becker Benjamin , Kendrick Keith M
Published: August 2020

Background

The neuropeptide oxytocin is proposed as a promising therapy for social dysfunction by modulating amygdala-mediated social-emotional behavior. Although clinical trials report some benefits of chronic treatment it is unclear whether efficacy may be influenced by dose frequency or genotype.

Methods

In a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled pharmaco-fMRI trial (150 male subjects) we investigated acute and different chronic (every day or on alternate days for 5 days) intranasal oxytocin (24IU) effects and oxytocin receptor genotype-mediated treatment sensitivity on amygdala responses to face emotions. We also investigated similar effects on resting state functional connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex.

Results

A single dose of oxytocin reduced amygdala responses to all face emotions but for threatening (fear and anger) and happy faces this effect was abolished after daily doses for 5 days but maintained by doses given every other day. The latter dose regime also enhanced associated anxious-arousal attenuation for fear faces. Oxytocin effects on reducing amygdala responses to face emotions only occurred in AA homozygotes of rs53576 and A carriers of rs2254298. The effects of oxytocin on resting state functional connectivity were not influenced by either dose-frequency or receptor genotype.

Conclusions

Infrequent chronic oxytocin administration may be therapeutically most efficient and its anxiolytic neural and behavioral actions are highly genotype-dependent in males.
Sustainable Production of Camptothecin from anAlternariasp. isolated fromNothapodytes nimmoniana
Authors: Mohinudeen I. A. H. Khwajah , Kanumuri Rahul , Soujanya K. N. , Shaanker R. Uma , Rayala Suresh Kumar , Srivastava Smita
Published: August 2020

A total of 132 endophytic fungal strains were isolated from different plant parts (leaf, petiole, stem and bark) ofNothapodytes nimmoniana, out of which 94 were found to produce camptothecin in suspension culture.Alternaria alstroemeriae(NCIM1408) andAlternaria burnsii(NCIM1409) demonstrated camptothecin yields up to 426.7±33.6 μg/g DW and 403.3±41.6 μg/g DW, respectively, the highest reported production to date. Unlike the reported product yield attenuation in endophytes with subculture in axenic state,Alternaria burnsiiNCIM1409 could retain and sustain the production of camptothecin up to ~200 μg/g even after 12 continuous subculture cycles. The camptothecin biosynthesis inAlternaria burnsiiNCIM1409 was confirmed using13C carbon labelling (and cytotoxicity analysis on different cancer cell lines) and this strain can now be used to develop a sustainable bioprocess forin vitroproduction of camptothecin as an alternative to plant extraction.
Functional signatures in non-small-cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of sex-based differences in transcriptomic studies
Authors: Pérez-Díez Irene , Hidalgo Marta R. , Malmierca-Merlo Pablo , Farràs Rosa , de la Iglesia-Vayá María , Provencio Mariano , Romero Atocha , García-García Francisco
Published: August 2020

While studies have established the existence of differences in the epidemiological and clinical patterns of lung adenocarcinoma between male and female patients, we know relatively little regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying such sex-based differences. In this study, we explore said differences through a meta-analysis of transcriptomic data. We performed a meta-analysis of the functional profiling of nine public datasets that included 1,366 samples from Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases. Meta-analysis results show an enrichment of Gene Ontology terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways related to the immune response, nucleic acid metabolism, and purinergic signaling. We discovered the overrepresentation of terms associated with the immune response, particularly with acute inflammatory response, and purinergic signaling in female lung adenocarcinoma patients, which could influence reported clinical differences. Further evaluations of the identified differential biological processes and pathways could lead to the discovery of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Our findings also emphasize the relevance of sex-specific analyses in biomedicine, which represents a crucial aspect influencing biological variability in disease.
Malaria mosquitoes acquire and allocate cattle urine to enhance life history traits
Authors: Dawit Mengistu , Hill Sharon R. , Birgersson Göran , Tekie Habte , Ignell Rickard
Published: August 2020

Nutrient acquisition and allocation integrate foraging and life-history traits in insects. To compensate for the lack of a particular nutrient at different life stages, insects may acquire these through supplementary feeding one.g., vertebrate secretions, in a process known as puddling. The mosquitoAnopheles arabiensisemerges undernourished, and as such, requires nutrients for both metabolism and reproduction. Host-seeking and blood-fedAn. arabiensisare attracted to the natural and synthetic odour of cattle urine, which signals a source of nutrients, but not the presence of a host or oviposition site. Females actively imbibe cattle urine, and its main nitrogenous compound, urea, and allocate these resources according to life history trade-offs to flight, survival or reproduction, as a function of physiological state. As a consequence, this behaviour affects vectorial capacity by increasing daily survival and vector density, and thus should be considered in future models. Future vector management strategies are discussed.
A Novel Lossless Encoding Algorithm for Data Compression - Genomics Data as an Exemplar
Authors: Al-okaily Anas , Tbakhi Abdelghani
Published: August 2020

Data compression is a challenging and increasingly important problem. As the amount of data generated daily continues to increase, efficient transmission and storage has never been more critical. In this study, a novel encoding algorithm is proposed, motivated by the compression of DNA data and associated characteristics. The proposed algorithm follows a divide-and-conquer approach by scanning the whole genome, classifying subsequences based on similarity patterns, and binning similar subsequences together. The data are then compressed in each bin independently. This approach is different than the currently known approaches: entropy, dictionary, predictive, or transform based methods. Proof-of-concept performance was evaluated using a benchmark dataset with seventeen genomes ranging in size from kilobytes to gigabytes. The results showed considerable improvement in the compression of each genome, preserving several megabytes compared with state-of-art tools. Moreover, the algorithm can be applied to the compression of other data types include mainly text, numbers, images, audio, and video which are being generated daily and unprecedentedly in massive volumes.