bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early and late outcomes of surgical repair of double-chambered right ventricle: a single-centre experience
Authors: Surucu Murat , Erdoğan İlkay , Varan Birgül , Özkan Murat , Tokel N. Kürşad , Aşlamacı Sait
Published: February 2020

Objective:

Double-chambered right ventricle is characterised by division of the outlet portion of the right ventricle by hypertrophy of the septoparietal trabeculations into two parts. We aim to report our experiences regarding the presenting symptoms of double-chambered right ventricle, long-term prognosis, including the recurrence rate and incidence of arrhythmias after surgery.

Methods:

We retrospectively investigated 89 consecutive patients who were diagnosed to have double-chambered right ventricle and underwent a surgical intervention from 1995 to 2016. The data obtained by echocardiography, cardiac catheterisation, and surgical findings as well as post-operative follow-up, surgical approaches, post-operative morbidity, mortality, and cardiac events were evaluated.

Results:

Median age at the time of diagnosis was 2 months and mean age at the time of operation was 5.3 years. Concomitant cardiac anomalies were as follows: perimembranous ventricular septal defect (78 patients), atrial septal defect (9 patients), discrete subaortic membrane (32 patients), right aortic arch (3 patients), aortic valve prolapse and/or mild aortic regurgitation (14 patients), and left superior caval vein (2 patients). The mean follow-up period was 4.86 ± 4.6 years. In these patients, mean systolic pressure gradient in the right ventricle by echocardiography before, immediately, and long-term after surgical intervention was 66.3, 11.8, and 10.4 mmHg, respectively. There were no deaths during the long-term follow-up period. Surgical reinterventions were performed for residual ventricular septal defect (2), residual pulmonary stenosis (1), and severe tricuspid insufficiency (1).

Conclusion:

The surgical outcomes and prognosis of double-chambered right ventricle are favourable, recurrence and fatal arrhythmias are unlikely in long-term follow-up.
Experience with balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty and predictors of outcome: a ten-year study
Authors: El-Saeidi Sonia A. , Hamza Hala S. , Agha Hala M. , Soliman Mohammed M. , Attia Wael A. , El-Kaffas Rania , Abdel-Aziz Faten , Abdel-Aziz Osama , Shaker Sahar , Esmat Amira , Ammar Rasha , Fattouh Aya , Mohi-eldin Khalid , El-Sisi Amal M.
Published: February 2020

Background:

Balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty is the treatment of choice for patients with moderate to severe pulmonary valve stenosis.

Methods:

An observational retrospective cross-sectional study including neonates, small infants, and children who underwent balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in the period from 2007 to 2016 in the cardiac catheterisation unit of the paediatric cardiology department in Cairo University. Multivariable models were built to report the predictors of the outcome of balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty and its complications.

Results:

A total of 1200 patients were included in the study and divided according to age into 3 groups: neonates and early infants (n = 282), infants (n = 362), and children (n = 556). Procedural success, defined as a drop pressure gradient across the pulmonary valve to less than or equal to 50% of the baseline measurements, was achieved in 82.7% of the patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that only infundibular pulmonary stenosis (p value 0.032), supravalvular in association with valvular pulmonary stenosis (p value <0.001), and pulmonary valve diameter by angiogram (p value <0.001) were significant predictors of success. The presence of supravalvular in association with valvular pulmonary stenosis (p value <0.001) was associated with a lower weight (p value 0.007) and higher right ventricular pressure before the intervention (p value <0.001), and a minor immediate drop in the pressure gradient post-intervention (p value <0.001) was found to be the most significant predictor of the occurrence of complications.

Conclusion:

The absence of infundibular and supravalvular stenosis and a large pulmonary valve diameter were the most significant predictors of success.
Adaptive control in interpreters: Assessing the impact of training and experience on working memory
Authors: Nour Soudabeh , Struys Esli , Stengers Helene
Published: February 2020

The adaptive control hypothesis predicts adaptation of control mechanisms as a response to intensive language use in bilinguals. The present study aims to investigate this hypothesis in two memory experiments with professional and student interpreters. In experiment 1, we compared a group of interpreting students to translation students using a reading span task to test working memory (WM) and a digit span task to test short-term memory (STM). In experiment 2, we added a group of professional interpreters and compared them with the participants in experiment 1. Training-related improvement was found for WM but not for STM, with no differences between both student groups. Professional interpreters with over 20 years of interpreting experience showed better performance than translation students but not than interpreting students both on WM and STM. The results are discussed in light of the framework of interpreting as a type of extreme bilingualism.
Secondary Art and the Two-Story House: Kuwabara Takeo and the Comparative Imagination in Mid-Century Japan, 1935–1947
Authors: Bronson Adam
Published: February 2020

This article focuses on the life and ideas of Kuwabara Takeo, a cultural critic and scholar of French literature who became renowned for his 1946 critique of haiku as a “secondary art” in comparison with the novel. By reconstructing Kuwabara's intellectual trajectory from the mid-1930s to the mid-1940s, I show how this famous essay was in part an effort to respond to Karl Löwith's famous critique of Japanese intellectuals. Löwith argued that Japanese intellectuals were insufficiently critical towards their own culture, due to the way that they compartmentalized practices and ideas associated with either Japanese culture or Western civilization. Kuwabara resisted such tendencies through the practice of cross-cultural comparison. His work gained encouragement from and responded to Löwith's critique in a way that illuminates the role that comparisons played in the intellectual culture of mid-twentieth-century Japan.
Putting the Intellectual Back in Environmental History
Authors: Sutter Paul S.
Published: February 2020

At its birth, American environmental history had strong connections with intellectual history. Books such as Roderick Nash's Wilderness and the American Mind and Donald Worster's Nature's Economy made the rise of preservationist and ecological thinking central to the field's early identity. But during the last several decades, as intellectual historians have engaged in their own soul-searching, American environmental historians retreated from engagement with intellectual history in favor of a “cultural turn.” In some ways, this retreat was surprising, because environmental historians became more circumspect about the very approaches that intellectual historians were questioning in their own scholarly practices: whether we could generalize from elite sources, disengage ideas from their social or cultural contexts, separate out a distinct intellectual realm and its exemplary intellects from histories of popular knowledge, or locate such a thing as an “American mind.” The second generation of American environmental historians continued to study environmental ideas, of course, but with less willingness to venerate canonical environmental thinkers and more interest in how American ideas of nature were socially and culturally constructed. As environmental historians became more critical of environmentalist ideas—finding in them signs of class position, racial formation, consumer status, and uncritical borrowings from science—we tended to become suspicious of the realm of ideas in general. Despite these parallels within our fields, the moment compelled environmental historians to turn away from intellectual history. One sad result is that environmental historians do not seem to have stayed abreast of intellectual historiography. Another, if my cursory review of this journal's recent tables of contents is any indication, is that environmental topics seem peripheral to the field of intellectual history. For the sake of both fields, it's time to restore the fragmented habitats that have isolated our subdisciplines.
The Sources and Transport Dynamics of Eolian Sediments in the NE Tibetan Plateau Since 6.7 Ma
Authors: Li Xiaomiao , Peng Tingjiang , Ma Zhenhua , Li Meng , Li Peiye , Feng Zhantao , Guo Benhong , Yu Hao , Ye Xiyan , Zhang Jun , Song Chunhui , Li Jijun
Published: February 2020

The red clay and loess‐paleosol sediments of the Xiaoshuizi and Halagu planation surfaces of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau (TP) provide insights into the response of paleo‐atmospheric circulation and surface processes to TP uplift and global climate changes. We present silicate Sr‐Nd isotope compositions and bulk sediment grain‐size parameters of the red clay and loess‐paleosol sequences, with the aim of reconstructing changes in the transporting wind systems and sediment source regions. The results indicate that the red clay on the planation surface was transported mainly by the westerlies from the Tarim Basin and the Qilian Mountains, while the loess‐paleosol sediments were transported mainly by the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) from the Badain Jaran Desert, Tengger Desert, and Qaidam Basin. These shifts in transport mechanism and source were likely related to major changes in the topography of the TP and the expansion of Northern Hemisphere glaciation since the Middle Pliocene. In addition, we reconstructed the evolution of the paleo‐atmospheric circulation from the Late Miocene to the Middle Pliocene. During the Late Miocene, both the paleo‐EAWM and East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) were weak, and westerly winds dominated the climate of the study area. During the Early Pliocene, both the paleo‐EAWM and EASM exerted an increasing influence on the study area. We ascribe the slight enhancement of the paleo‐EAWM to the gradual growth of the northern TP and the significant enhancement of the paleo‐EASM to global climate changes.
Bayesian Elastic Full‐Waveform Inversion Using Hamiltonian Monte Carlo
Authors: Gebraad Lars , Boehm Christian , Fichtner Andreas
Published: February 2020

We present a proof of concept for Bayesian elastic full‐waveform inversion in 2‐D. This is based on (1) Hamiltonian Monte Carlo sampling of the posterior distribution, (2) the computation of misfit derivatives using adjoint techniques, and (3) a mass matrix tuning of the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo algorithm that accounts for the different sensitivities of seismic velocities and density. We apply our method to two synthetic end‐member scenarios with different dimension
that are particularly relevant in the context of full‐waveform inversion: low‐dimensional models (
) with potentially large variations in material parameters and high‐dimensional models (
 > 30,000) describing smaller‐scale variations of lower amplitude relative to some background. For both end members, the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo sampling reliably recovers important aspects of the posterior, including means, covariances, skewness, and 1‐D and 2‐D marginals. Depending on the strength of material variations, the posterior can be significantly non‐Gaussian. This suggests to replace local methods for uncertainty quantification based on Gaussian assumptions by proper sampling of the posterior. In addition to P wave and S wave velocity, the sampling provides constraints on density structure that are free from subjective regularization artifacts.
Effect of nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners on hemodynamic responses to acute stress: a randomized crossover trial in healthy women
Authors: Cros Jérémy , Bidlingmeyer Lucie , Rosset Robin , Seyssel Kevin , Crézé Camille , Stefanoni Nathalie , Schneiter Philippe , Tappy Luc
Published: February 2020

Background

The mechanisms by which chronic stress increases the risk of non-communicable diseases remain poorly understood. On one hand, chronic stress may increase systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and blood pressure, which may lead to blood vessels injury and altered myocardial perfusion. On the other hand, chronic stress may promote the overconsumption of sugar-containing foods and favor obesity. There is indeed evidence that sweet foods are preferentially consumed to alleviate stress responses. The effects of nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) on hemodynamic stress responses remain however largely unknown.

Objective/design

This study aimed at comparing the effects of sucrose-containing and NNS-containing drinks, as compared to unsweetened water, on hemodynamic responses to acute stress in twelve healthy female subjects. Acute stress responses were elicited by a 30-min mental stress (5-min Stroop’s test alternated with 5-min mental arithmetic) and a 3-min cold pressure test (CPT), each preceded by a resting baseline period. Hemodynamic stress responses were investigated by the repeated measurement of mean arterial pressure and the continuous monitoring of cardiac output by thoracic electrical bioimpedance measurement. SVR was selected as a primary outcome because it is a sensitive measure of hemodynamic responses to acute stress procedures.

Results

With all three drinks, SVR were not changed with mental stress (P = 0.437), but were increased with CPT (P = 0.045). Both mental stress and CPT increased mean arterial pressure and heart rate (all P < 0.001). Cardiac output increased with mental stress (P < 0.001) and remained unchanged with CPT (P = 0.252). No significant differences in hemodynamic responses were observed between water, sucrose and NNS (stress × condition, all P > 0.05).

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that sucrose and NNS do not alter hemodynamic responses to two different standardized acute stress protocols.
Acceptance-based therapy: the potential to augment behavioral interventions in the treatment of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Cardel Michelle I. , Ross Kathryn M. , Butryn Meghan , Donahoo W. Troy , Eastman Abraham , Dillard Julia R. , Grummon Anna , Hopkins Patrick , Whigham Leah D. , Janicke David
Published: February 2020

Diabetes is a complex and multifactorial disease affecting more than 415 million people worldwide. Excess adiposity and modifiable lifestyle factors, such as unhealthy dietary patterns and physical inactivity, can play a significant role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Interventions that implement changes to lifestyle behaviors, in addition to pharmacological treatment, may attenuate the development and worsening of diabetes. This narrative review delineates how standard behavioral interventions (SBTs), based in “first wave” behavioral therapies and “second wave” cognitive behavioral therapies, serve as the foundation of diabetes treatment by supporting effective lifestyle changes, including improving adherence to healthful behaviors, medication, and self-monitoring regimens. Moreover, “third wave” “acceptance-based therapies” (ABTs), which integrate techniques from acceptance and commitment therapy, are proposed as a potential novel treatment option for diabetes management. Further research and long-term, randomized controlled trials will clarify the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of ABT for improving glucose control via enhancing medication adherence and promoting effective lifestyle changes in people with diabetes.
Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health
Authors: Walker William H. , Walton James C. , DeVries A. Courtney , Nelson Randy J.
Published: February 2020

Circadian rhythms are internal manifestations of the solar day that permit adaptations to predictable environmental temporal changes. These ~24-h rhythms are controlled by molecular clockworks within the brain that are reset daily to precisely 24 h by exposure to the light–dark cycle. Information from the master clock in the mammalian hypothalamus conveys temporal information to the entire body via humoral and neural communication. A bidirectional relationship exists between mood disorders and circadian rhythms. Mood disorders are often associated with disrupted circadian clock-controlled responses, such as sleep and cortisol secretion, whereas disruption of circadian rhythms via jet lag, night-shift work, or exposure to artificial light at night, can precipitate or exacerbate affective symptoms in susceptible individuals. Evidence suggests strong associations between circadian rhythms and mental health, but only recently have studies begun to discover the direct interactions between the circadian system and mood regulation. This review provides an overview of disrupted circadian rhythms and the relationship to behavioral health and psychiatry. The focus of this review is delineating the role of disruption of circadian rhythms on mood disorders using human night shift studies, as well as jet lag studies to identify links. We also review animal models of disrupted circadian rhythms on affective responses. Lastly, we propose low-cost behavioral and lifestyle changes to improve circadian rhythms and presumably behavioral health.
Mindfulness improves inflammatory biomarker levels in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ng Ted Kheng Siang , Fam Johnson , Feng Lei , Cheah Irwin Kee-Mun , Tan Crystal Tze-Ying , Nur Fadzillah , Wee Sin Tho , Goh Lee Gan , Chow Wei Ling , Ho Roger Chun-Man , Kua Ee Heok , Larbi Anis , Mahendran Rathi
Published: February 2020

Few randomized controlled trials investigated the effects of mindfulness intervention on older adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Furthermore, there have been hypotheses and theoretical mechanisms on the benefits of mindfulness intervention on biomarkers of stress, inflammation, and neuroplasticity implicated in MCI that warrant empirical evidence. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to examine whether Mindful Awareness Practice (MAP) improved biomarker levels in older adults with MCI. Fifty-five community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and above were randomized into either the treatment arm, MAP, or the active control arm, the health education program (HEP). Researchers who were blinded to treatment allocation assessed the outcomes at baseline, 3-month, and 9-month follow-ups. Linear-mixed models were used to examine the effect of MAP on biomarker levels. MAP participants had significantly decreased high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels at 9-month (β = −0.307, 95% CI = −0.559 to −0.054P = 0.018). Exploratory sub-group analyses by sex showed significantly decreased hs-CRP in females only (β = −0.445, 95% CI = −0.700 to −0.189,P = 0.001), while stratification by MCI subtype showed hs-CRP decreased only in amnestic-MCI (aMCI) (β = −0.569, 95% CI = −1.000 to −0.133,P = 0.012). Although total sample analyses were not significant, males had significantly decreased interleukin (IL)−6 (β = −1.001, 95% CI = −1.761 to −0253,P = 0.011) and IL-1β (β = −0.607, 95% CI = −1.116 to −0.100,P = 0.021) levels at 3-month and non-significant improvements at 9-month time-point. MAP improved inflammatory biomarkers in sex- and MCI subtype-specific manners. These preliminary findings suggest the potential of mindfulness intervention as a self-directed and low-cost preventive intervention in improving pathophysiology implicated in MCI.
Neurometabolic correlates of 6 and 16 weeks of treatment with risperidone in medication-naive first-episode psychosis patients
Authors: Birur Badari , Kraguljac Nina Vanessa , VerHoef Lawrence , Morgan Charity J. , Jindal Ripu Daman , Reid Meredith Amanda , Luker Austin , Lahti Adrienne Carol
Published: February 2020

Antipsychotic medications are the cornerstone of treatment in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. In first-episode psychosis, the recommended time for an antipsychotic medication trial is up to 16 weeks, but the biological correlates of shorter and longer antipsychotic treatment trials in these cohorts remain largely unknown. We enrolled 29 medication-naive first-episode patients (FEP) and 22 matched healthy controls (HC) in this magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) study, examining the levels of combined glutamate and glutamine (commonly referred to as Glx) in the bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) with a PRESS sequence (TR/TE = 2000/80 ms) before initiation of antipsychotic treatment, after 6 and 16 weeks of treatment with risperidone. Data were quantified in 18 HC and 20 FEP at baseline, for 19 HC and 15 FEP at week 6, and for 14 HC and 16 FEP at week 16. At baseline, none of the metabolites differed between groups. Metabolite levels did not change after 6 or 16 weeks of treatment in patients. Our data suggest that metabolite levels do not change after 6 or 16 weeks of treatment with risperidone in FEP. It is possible that our choice of sequence parameters and the limited sample size contributed to negative findings reported here. On the other hand, longer follow-up may be needed to detect treatment-related metabolic changes with MRS. In summary, our study adds to the efforts in better understanding glutamatergic neurometabolism in schizophrenia, especially as it relates to antipsychotic exposure.
Sedentary behaviors and risk of depression: a meta-analysis of prospective studies
Authors: Huang Yuchai , Li Liqing , Gan Yong , Wang Chao , Jiang Heng , Cao Shiyi , Lu Zuxun
Published: February 2020

Epidemiological evidence on the association between sedentary behaviors and the risk of depression is inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis of prospective studies to identify the impact of sedentary behaviors on the risk of depression. We systematically searched in the PubMed and Embase databases to June 2019 for prospective cohort studies investigating sedentary behaviors in relation to the risk of depression. The pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with random-effect meta-analysis. In addition, meta-regression analyses, subgroup analyses, and sensitivity analyses were performed to explore the potential sources of heterogeneity. Twelve prospective studies involving 128,553 participants were identified. A significantly positive association between sedentary behavior and the risk of depression was observed (RR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.03–1.19, I2 = 60.6%, P < 0.01). Subgroup analyses revealed that watching television was positively associated with the risk of depression (RR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.07–1.30), whereas using a computer was not (RR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.79–1.23). Mentally passive sedentary behaviors could increase the risk of depression (RR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.08–1.27), whereas the effect of mentally active sedentary behaviors were non-significant (RR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.83–1.15). Sedentary behaviors were positively related to depression defined by clinical diagnosis (RR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.03, 1.14), whereas the associations were statistically non-significant when depression was evaluated by the CES-D and the Prime-MD screening. The present study suggests that mentally passive sedentary behaviors, such as watching television, could increase the risk of depression. Interventions that reduce mentally passive sedentary behaviors may prevent depression.
Association between visual acuity, lesion activity markers and retreatment decisions in neovascular age-related macular degeneration
Authors: Chakravarthy Usha , Pillai Natasha , Syntosi Annie , Barclay Lorna , Best Catherine , Sagkriotis Alexandros
Published: February 2020

Background/objectives

To investigate the association between optical coherence tomography (OCT) markers of lesion activity and changes in visual acuity (VA) during anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy of eyes diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD); and how VA and OCT markers are considered in physicians’ decision to retreat with anti-VEGFs.

Subjects/methods

Retrospective, non-comparative, non-randomised cohort study involving electronic medical record data collected from 1190 patient eyes with nAMD diagnosis at two sites in the United Kingdom. Two sub-cohorts consisting of 321 and 301 eyes, respectively, were selected for analyses.

Results

In 321 eyes, absence of IRF or SRF at ≥2 clinic visits resulted in a gain of five ETDRS letters from baseline, compared with two letters gained in eyes with <2 clinic visits with absence of IRF (p = 0.006) or SRF (p = 0.042). Anti-VEGF treatment was administered at 421 clinic visits, and 308 visits were without treatment. Comparing treatment visits with non-treatment visits, the maximum difference in frequency of OCT markers of lesion activity were for intraretinal fluid (IRF; 24% versus 5%) and subretinal fluid (SRF; 32% versus 5%). Pigment epithelial detachment (PED) was reported in 58% of treatment visits compared with 36% in non-treatment visits. VA loss was not a consistent trigger for retreatment as it was present in 63% of injection visits and in 49% of non-injection visits.

Conclusions

Retreatment decision making is most strongly influenced by the presence of IRF and SRF and less by the presence of PED or VA loss.
The Ca2+ permeation mechanism of the ryanodine receptor revealed by a multi-site ion model
Authors: Zhang Aihua , Yu Hua , Liu Chunhong , Song Chen
Published: February 2020

Ryanodine receptors (RyR) are ion channels responsible for the release of Ca2+ from the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum and play a crucial role in the precise control of Ca2+ concentration in the cytosol. The detailed permeation mechanism of Ca2+ through RyR is still elusive. By using molecular dynamics simulations with a specially designed Ca2+ model, we show that multiple Ca2+ ions accumulate in the upper selectivity filter of RyR1, but only one Ca2+ can occupy and translocate in the narrow pore at a time, assisted by electrostatic repulsion from the Ca2+ within the upper selectivity filter. The Ca2+ is nearly fully hydrated with the first solvation shell intact during the whole permeation process. These results suggest a remote knock-on permeation mechanism and one-at-a-time occupation pattern for the hydrated Ca2+ within the narrow pore, uncovering the basis underlying the high permeability and low selectivity of the RyR channels.
Short-term supplementation of celecoxib-shifted butyrate production on a simulated model of the gut microbial ecosystem and ameliorated in vitro inflammation
Authors: Hernandez-Sanabria Emma , Heiremans Evelien , Calatayud Arroyo Marta , Props Ruben , Leclercq Laurent , Snoeys Jan , Van de Wiele Tom
Published: February 2020

Celecoxib has been effective in the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders through inhibition of altered cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) pathways. Despite the benefits, continuous administration may increase risk of cardiovascular events. Understanding microbiome-drug-host interactions is fundamental for improving drug disposition and safety responses of colon-targeted formulations, but little information is available on the bidirectional interaction between individual microbiomes and celecoxib. Here, we conducted in vitro batch incubations of human faecal microbiota to obtain a mechanistic proof-of-concept of the short-term impact of celecoxib on activity and composition of colon bacterial communities. Celecoxib-exposed microbiota shifted metabolic activity and community composition, whereas total transcriptionally active bacterial population was not significantly changed. Butyrate production decreased by 50% in a donor-dependent manner, suggesting that celecoxib impacts in vitro fermentation. Microbiota-derived acetate has been associated with inhibition of cancer markers and our results suggest uptake of acetate for bacterial functions when celecoxib was supplied, which potentially favoured bacterial competition for acetyl-CoA. We further assessed whether colon microbiota modulates anti-inflammatory efficacy of celecoxib using a simplified inflammation model, and a novel in vitro simulation of the enterohepatic metabolism. Celecoxib was responsible for only 5% of the variance in bacterial community composition but celecoxib-exposed microbiota preserved barrier function and decreased concentrations of IL-8 and CXCL16 in a donor-dependent manner in our two models simulating gut inflammatory milieu. Our results suggest that celecoxib-microbiome-host interactions may not only elicit adaptations in community composition but also in microbiota functionality, and these may need to be considered for guaranteeing efficient COX-2 inhibition.
Four-point impedance as a biomarker for bleeding during cochlear implantation
Authors: Bester Christofer , Razmovski Tayla , Collins Aaron , Mejia Olivia , Foghsgaard Søren , Mitchell-Innes Alistair , Shaul Chanan , Campbell Luke , Eastwood Hayden , O’Leary Stephen
Published: February 2020

Cochlear implantation has successfully restored the perception of hearing for nearly 200 thousand profoundly deaf adults and children. More recently, implant candidature has expanded to include those with considerable natural hearing which, when preserved, provides an improved hearing experience in noisy environments. But more than half of these patients lose this natural hearing soon after implantation. To reduce this burden, biosensing technologies are emerging that provide feedback on the quality of surgery. Here we report clinical findings on a new intra-operative measurement of electrical impedance (4-point impedance) which, when elevated, is associated with high rates of post-operative hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction. In vivo and in vitro data presented suggest that elevated 4-point impedance is likely due to the presence of blood within the cochlea rather than its geometry. Four-point impedance is a new marker for the detection of cochlear injury causing bleeding, that may be incorporated into intraoperative monitoring protocols during CI surgery.
The last Palaeoproteus (Urodela: Batrachosauroididae) of Europe
Authors: Vasilyan Davit , Yanenko Vadym
Published: February 2020

The Batrachosauroididae are an enigmatic group of salamanders known from the Cretaceous and Tertiary of North America and Europe. In Europe, the family is known only by two species of the genus Palaeoproteus. The genus has limited distribution in Western and Central Europe. In the present paper, we describe a new species, Palaeoproteus miocenicus, from the early late Miocene (11–9 Ma) of Austria and Ukraine, representing the youngest record of the family Batrachosauroididae from the Neogene of Europe. The new species differs from the Paleogene representatives of the genus by 12 characters, including large body size, the long anterior extension of the Meckelian groove and the size and shape of the odontoid process on the dentary. The µCT scanning of bones of the new species revealed novel features (e.g. anterior extension of Meckelian groove, interconnected network of canals and small cavities in atlas) observable only in this species. P. miocenicus inhabited aquatic environments, which existed under wet climatic conditions with mean annual precipitation higher than 900 mm. The new species expands the temporal range of the genus by at least 30 million years and enlarges the palaeogeographic distribution of the genus into Eastern Europe.
Multi-domain cognitive assessment of male mice shows space radiation is not harmful to high-level cognition and actually improves pattern separation
Authors: Whoolery Cody W. , Yun Sanghee , Reynolds Ryan P. , Lucero Melanie J. , Soler Ivan , Tran Fionya H. , Ito Naoki , Redfield Rachel L. , Richardson Devon R. , Shih Hung-ying , Rivera Phillip D. , Chen Benjamin P. C. , Birnbaum Shari G. , Stowe Ann M. , Eisch Amelia J.
Published: February 2020

Astronauts on interplanetary missions - such as to Mars - will be exposed to space radiation, a spectrum of highly-charged, fast-moving particles that includes 56Fe and 28Si. Earth-based preclinical studies show space radiation decreases rodent performance in low- and some high-level cognitive tasks. Given astronaut use of touchscreen platforms during training and space flight and given the ability of rodent touchscreen tasks to assess functional integrity of brain circuits and multiple cognitive domains in a non-aversive way, here we exposed 6-month-old C57BL/6J male mice to whole-body space radiation and subsequently assessed them on a touchscreen battery. Relative to Sham treatment, 56Fe irradiation did not overtly change performance on tasks of visual discrimination, reversal learning, rule-based, or object-spatial paired associates learning, suggesting preserved functional integrity of supporting brain circuits. Surprisingly, 56Fe irradiation improved performance on a dentate gyrus-reliant pattern separation task; irradiated mice learned faster and were more accurate than controls. Improved pattern separation performance did not appear to be touchscreen-, radiation particle-, or neurogenesis-dependent, as 56Fe and 28Si irradiation led to faster context discrimination in a non-touchscreen task and 56Fe decreased new dentate gyrus neurons relative to Sham. These data urge revisitation of the broadly-held view that space radiation is detrimental to cognition.
Real-time cholesterol sorting in Plasmodium falciparum-erythrocytes as revealed by 3D label-free imaging
Authors: Hayakawa Eri H. , Yamaguchi Kentaro , Mori Masahiro , Nardone Glenn
Published: February 2020

Cholesterol, a necessary component of animal cell membranes, is also needed by the lethal human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Because P. falciparum lacks a cholesterol synthesis pathway and malaria patients have low blood cholesterol, we speculated that it scavenges cholesterol from them in some way. We used time-lapse holotomographic microscopy to observe cholesterol transport in live P. falciparum parasites and structurally investigate erythrocyte membranes, both during and after P. falciparum invasion of human erythrocytes. After P. falciparum initially acquired free cholesterol or inner erythrocytic membrane-derived cholesterol, we observed budding lipid membranes elongating into the cytosol and/or membrane segments migrating there and eventually fusing with the parasite membranes, presumably at the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM). Finally, the cholesterol-containing segments were seen to surround the parasite nucleus. Our imaging data suggest that a novel membrane transport system operates in the cytosol of P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes as a cholesterol import system, likely between the PVM and the erythrocyte membrane, and that this transportation process occurs during the live erythrocyte stages of P. falciparum.
Mechano-biological adaptation of the pulmonary artery exposed to systemic conditions
Authors: Vanderveken Emma , Vastmans Julie , Claus Piet , Verbeken Eric , Fehervary Heleen , Van Hoof Lucas , Vandendriessche Katrien , Verbrugghe Peter , Famaey Nele , Rega Filip
Published: February 2020

Cardiac surgeries may expose pulmonary arterial tissue to systemic conditions, potentially resulting in failure of that tissue. Our goal was to quantitatively assess pulmonary artery adaptation due to changes in mechanical environment. In 17 sheep, we placed a pulmonary autograft in aortic position, with or without macroporous mesh reinforcement. It was exposed to systemic conditions for 6 months. All sheep underwent 3 ECG-gated MRI’s. Explanted tissue was subjected to mechanical and histological analysis. Results showed progressive dilatation of the unreinforced autograft, while reinforced autografts stabilized after two months. Some unreinforced pulmonary autograft samples displayed more aorta-like mechanical behavior with increased collagen deposition. The mechanical behavior of reinforced autografts was dominated by the mesh. The decrease in media thickness and loss of vascular smooth muscle cells was more pronounced in reinforced than in unreinforced autografts. In conclusion, altering the mechanical environment of a pulmonary artery causes changes in its mechano-biological properties.
Scaling in the recovery of urban transportation systems from massive events
Authors: Bassolas Aleix , Gallotti Riccardo , Lamanna Fabio , Lenormand Maxime , Ramasco José J.
Published: February 2020

Public transportation is a fundamental infrastructure for life in cities. Although its capacity is prepared for daily demand, congestion may rise when huge crowds gather in demonstrations, concerts or sport events. In this work, we study the robustness of public transportation networks by means of a stylized model mimicking individual mobility through the system. We find scaling relations in the delay suffered by both event participants and other citizens doing their usual traveling in the background. The delay is a function of the number of participants and the event location. The model is solved analytically in lattices proving the existence of scaling relations and the connection of their exponents to the local dimension. Thereafter, extensive and systematic simulations in eight worldwide cities reveal that a newly proposed measure of local dimension explains the exponents found in the network recovery. Our methodology allows to dynamically probe the local dimensionality of a transportation network and identify the most vulnerable spots in cities for the celebration of massive events.
Identification of flocculant wine yeast strains with improved filtration-related phenotypes through application of high-throughput sedimentation rate assays
Authors: Varela Cristian , Bartel Caroline , Nandorfy Damian Espinase , Borneman Anthony , Schmidt Simon , Curtin Chris
Published: February 2020

In most yeast-driven biotechnological applications, biomass is separated from the aqueous phase after fermentation or production has finished. During winemaking, yeasts are removed after fermentation by racking, filtration, or centrifugation, which add costs to the overall process and may reduce product yield. Theoretically, clarification and filtration can be aided through use of yeast strains that form flocs due to cell-cell binding, a process known as flocculation. However, because early flocculation can cause stuck/sluggish fermentations, this phenotype is not common amongst commercially available wine yeasts. In this study we sought to identify wine strains that exhibit late-fermentation flocculant behaviour using two complementary approaches; a high-throughput sedimentation rate assay of individual strains and a competitive sedimentation assay using a barcoded yeast collection. Amongst 103 wine strains, several exhibited strong sedimentation at the end of the wine fermentation process under various environmental conditions. Two of these strains, AWRI1688 and AWRI1759, were further characterised during red winemaking trials. Shiraz wines produced with both strains displayed improved filtration-related properties. AWRI1759 produced wines with greater filterability, whereas AWRI1688 enabled the recovery of larger wine volumes after racking. Thus, this study demonstrates the effective use of sedimentation screening assays to identify wine yeasts with practical winemaking applications.
Effect of mannan oligosaccharides on the microbiota and productivity parameters of Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp under intensive cultivation in Ecuador
Authors: Gainza Oreste , Romero Jaime
Published: February 2020

The white leg Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp is of importance to the eastern Pacific fisheries and aquaculture industry but suffer from diseases such as the recently emerged early mortality syndrome. Many bacterial pathogens have been identified but the L. vannamei microbiota is still poorly known. Using a next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach, this work evaluated the impact of the inclusion in the diet of mannan oligosaccharide, (MOS, 0.5% w/w), over the L. vannamei microbiota and production behavior of L. vannamei under intensive cultivation in Ecuador. The MOS supplementation lasted for 60 days, after which the shrimp in the ponds were harvested, and the production data were collected. MOS improved productivity outcomes by increasing shrimp survival by 30%. NGS revealed quantitative differences in the shrimp microbiota between MOS and control conditions. In the treatment with inclusion of dietary MOS, the predominant phylum was Actinobacteria (28%); while the control group was dominated by the phylum Proteobacteria (30%). MOS has also been linked to an increased prevalence of Lactococcus- and Verrucomicrobiaceae-like bacteria. Furthermore, under the treatment of MOS, the prevalence of potential opportunistic pathogens, like Vibrio, Aeromonas, Bergeyella and Shewanella, was negligible. This may be attributable to MOS blocking the adhesion of pathogens to the surfaces of the host tissues. Together, these findings point to the fact that the performance (survival) improvements of the dietary MOS may be linked to the impact on the microbiota, since bacterial lines with pathogenic potential towards shrimps were excluded in the gut.
Analysis of inflammatory mediators in the vitreous humor of eyes with pan-uveitis according to aetiological classification
Authors: Fukunaga Hisako , Kaburaki Toshikatsu , Shirahama Shintaro , Tanaka Rie , Murata Hiroshi , Sato Tomohito , Takeuchi Masaru , Tozawa Hideto , Urade Yoshihiro , Katsura Mari , Kobayashi Mika , Wada Youichiro , Soga Hirotsugu , Kawashima Hidetoshi , Kohro Takahide , Aihara Makoto
Published: February 2020

Treatment of uveitis is complicated because of its multiple aetiologies and elevation of various inflammatory mediators. To determine the mediators that are elevated in the vitreous humor according to the aetiology of the uveitis, we examined the concentrations of 21 inflammatory cytokines, 7 chemokines, and 5 colony-stimulating/growth factors in vitreous samples from 57 eyes with uveitis associated with intraocular lymphoma (IOL, n = 13), sarcoidosis (n = 15), acute retinal necrosis (ARN, n = 13), or bacterial endophthalmitis (BE, n = 16). Samples from eyes with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (n = 15), which is not associated with uveitis, were examined as controls. Heat map analysis demonstrated that the patterns of inflammatory mediators in the vitreous humor in eyes with uveitis were disease-specific. Pairwise comparisons between the 5 diseases showed specific elevation of interferon-α2 in ARN and interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17A, and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor in BE. Pairwise comparisons between IOL, ARN, and BE revealed that levels of IL-10 in IOL, RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) in ARN, and IL-22 in BE were significantly higher than those in the other 2 types of uveitis. These mediators are likely to be involved in the immunopathology of specific types of uveitis and may be useful biomarkers.
Noninvasive models for predicting poor prognosis of chronic HBV infection patients precipitating acute HEV infection
Authors: Li Qiang , Chen Chong , Huang Chenlu , Xu Wei , Hu Qiankun , Chen Liang
Published: February 2020

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection contributes to a considerable proportion of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study aimed to predict the prognosis of chronic HBV infection patients precipitating acute HEV infection. A total of 193 patients were enrolled in this study. The performances of three chronic liver disease prognostic models (CTP score, MELD score, and CLIF-C ADs) were analyzed for predicting the development of ACLF following HEV superimposing chronic HBV infection. Subsequently, the performances of five ACLF prognostic assessment models (CTP score, MELD score, CLIF-C ACLFs, CLIF-C OFs, and COSSH-ACLFs) were analyzed for predicting the outcome of those ACLF patients. Of 193 chronic HBV infection patients precipitating acute HEV infection, 13 patients were diagnosed ACLF on admission, 54 patients developed to ACLF after admission, and 126 patients had non-ACLF during the stay in hospital. For predicting the development of ACLF, CTP score yielded a significantly higher AUROC compared with MELD score and CLIF-C ADs (0.92, 0.88, and 0.86, respectively; allp < 0.05). For predicting the poor prognosis of ACLF patients, the COSSH-ACLFs yielded a significantly higher AUROC compared with CLIF-C ACLFs, CLIF-C OFs, MELD score, and CTP score (0.89, 0.83, 0.81, 0.67, and 0.58, respectively; allp < 0.05). In conclusion, the stepwise application of CTP score and COSSH-ACLFs can predict the prognosis of chronic HBV infection patients precipitating acute HEV infection.
Modulation in the elastic properties of gastrocnemius muscle heads in individuals with plantar fasciitis and its relationship with pain
Authors: Zhou Ji-Ping , Yu Jia-Feng , Feng Ya-Nan , Liu Chun-Long , Su Pan , Shen Su-Hong , Zhang Zhi-Jie
Published: February 2020

The objectives of this study were (1) to investigate the passive stiffness of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) and lateral gastrocnemius (LG) in patients with and without plantar fasciitis (PF), (2) to explore the correlation between gastrocnemius stiffness and plantar fascia thickness (PFT) as well as the intensity of pain in patients with PF, (3) to detect optimal cut-off points for stiffness of the MG and LG for identifying patients with PF. Forty patients (mean age = 51.1 years ± 12.9) participated in this study. The elastic properties of the MG and LG were quantified using shear wave elastography ultrasound. The thickness of the plantar fascia was measured by B-mode imaging. The intensity of pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale. The results showed that when the ankle was in the relaxed position, patients with PF had increased passive stiffness in the MG (P < 0.05) but not in the LG. Significant correlations were found between pain and the stiffness of the MG (middle, distal; all P-values < 0.05) and no correlation was observed between pain and PFT (P = 0.416). The initial cut-off point for the stiffness of the MG was 29.08 kPa when the ankle was in the relaxed position. The findings from the present study show that an increase in muscle stiffness is not the same in the individual muscles of the gastrocnemius muscle. Traditional treatment of the whole gastrocnemius muscle might not be targeted at the tight muscle.
Publisher Correction: Floquet-state cooling
Authors: Diermann Onno R. , Holthaus Martin
Published: February 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
A microfluidic gradient device for drug screening with human iPSC-derived motoneurons
Authors: Mo Sung Joon , Lee Ju-Hyun , Kye Hyeon Gi , Lee Jong Min , Kim Eun-Joong , Geum Dongho , Sun Woong , Chung Bong Geun
Published: February 2020

We developed a microfluidic gradient device to utilize as a drug screening system with human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived motoneurons.
Rapid quality control of medicine and food dual purpose plant polysaccharides by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry
Authors: Wang Huiwen , Zhao Xiaoyong , Huang Yu , Liao Jiancong , Liu Yaqin , Pan Yuanjiang
Published: February 2020

With their multiple biological activities and health benefit effects, polysaccharides from medicine and food dual purpose plants (MFDPPPs) have been extensively applied in many fields, including in medical treatments, stock farming, and cosmetics.
Crystal structure of sodium ethoxide (C2H5ONa), unravelled after 180 years
Authors: Beske Maurice , Tapmeyer Lukas , Schmidt Martin U.
Published: February 2020

180 years after Liebig's synthesis, the crystal structures of C2H5ONa and C2H5ONa·2C2H5OH were finally determined.
Pressure-induced inclusion of neon in the crystal structure of a molecular Cu2(pacman) complex at 4.67 GPa
Authors: Giordano Nico , Beavers Christine M. , Kamenev Konstantin V. , Love Jason B. , Pankhurst James R. , Teat Simon J. , Parsons Simon
Published: February 2020

Crystals of Cu2(pacman) inflate on taking up neon at 46 000 atm through a switch in the ligand conformation.