bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MYTHS AND TRUTHS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF RETINAL VASCULAR OCCLUSION WITH COVID-19
Authors: Sharma Ashish , Parachuri Nikulaa , Kumar Nilesh , Romano Mario Rosario , Parolini Barbara , Ozdek Sengul , Tawfik Mohamed A. , Marashi Ameen , Kuppermann Baruch D. , Nguyen Quan Dong
Published: December 2021

Purpose:

To critically review data published in the recent past to scrutinize a causal relationship between retinal vascular occlusion and COVID-19.

Method:

A comprehensive literature search was performed on Pubmed with the key words retinal vascular occlusion, retinal vein occlusion, retinal artery occlusion, and COVID-19.

Results:

A total of 17 case reports were published during this period, and 10 were on retinal vein occlusion and 7 on retinal artery occlusion. Most of the published reports lacked convincing evidences in one or the other aspects, such as insufficient laboratory workup or presence of multiple confounding risk factors.

Conclusion:

In this index article, strength of the data is insufficient to establish a definitive cause-and-effect relationship of retinal vascular occlusive disorders with COVID-19. Hence, clinicians can continue to manage these cases according to the standard guidelines until there are more robust evidences to support this association to alter the diagnostic and treatment modalities.
The Chinese guidelines for neoadjuvant therapy of pancreatic cancer (2020)
Authors: Zhang Taiping , Wu Wenming , Yang Yinmo , Zhao Yupei
Published: December 2021

Aiming to keep pace with the renewal of international guidelines and refine the domestic treatment system of pancreatic cancer, the Chinese Pancreatic Surgery Association, Chinese Medical Association and Pancreatic Disease Committee of China Research Hospital Association launched this Chinese guidelines for neoadjuvant therapy of pancreatic cancer (2020 edition). Based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system, the guidelines have conducted a discussion on the indication, regimen selection, therapeutic effect evaluation, pathological diagnosis, surgery strategy, etc. The guidelines have quantified the evidence level of the current clinical researches and provided recommendations for the clinical practice in neoadjuvant therapy of pancreatic cancer. The guidelines have highlighted the role of multiple disciplinary team and represented the conversion of treatment concepts in pancreatic cancer. Neoadjuvant therapy has prolonged the survival of part of pancreatic cancer patients. However, more high-quality clinical researches are in urgent need to improve the level of evidence, optimize the clinical practice, and improve the survival of patients.
Virtual visits and the use of continuous glucose monitoring for diabetes care in the era of COVID-19
Authors: Underwood Patricia , Hibben Jennifer , Gibson Jolynn , DiNardo Monica
Published: December 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to an increase in virtual care utilization for patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Virtual DM care requires both providers and patients to become familiar with new technology that supports home health monitoring. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is a DM technology that provides 24-hr glucose monitoring and is associated with improved clinical outcomes, including decreased rates of hypoglycemia and lower hemoglobin A1c (A1c). Continuous glucose monitoring use has increased due to ease of use and its ability to allow patients to share data with providers during virtual visits. Although the clinical benefits of CGM use are clear, many providers are overwhelmed by the various options available and large influx of data received. The purpose of this clinical case review is to provide an overview of CGM use in the virtual care setting. Various types of CGMs will be defined and an overview of the patient characteristics shown to benefit most from CGM use will be provided. Further, recommendations for improving clinic workflow when using CGM will be outlined, including strategies to handle the influx of large datasets, outlining the role of the nurse practitioner (NP) and other providers in the clinic, and organizing data for efficient and improved clinical decision making. Continuous glucose monitoring use is hallmarked to revolutionize DM care for many patients, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important that clinicians understand the nuances of CGM use and organize their virtual clinics to efficiently manage CGM users, leading to improved clinical decisions and patient outcomes.
Pathophysiology of coronavirus-19 disease acute lung injury
Authors: Camporota Luigi , Cronin John N. , Busana Mattia , Gattinoni Luciano , Formenti Federico
Published: December 2021

Purpose of review

More than 230 million people have tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 infection globally by September 2021. The infection affects primarily the function of the respiratory system, where ∼20% of infected individuals develop coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) pneumonia. This review provides an update on the pathophysiology of the COVID-19 acute lung injury.

Recent findings

In patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to the intensive care unit, the PaO2/FiO2 ratio is typically <26.7 kPa (200 mmHg), whereas lung volume appears relatively unchanged. This hypoxaemia is likely determined by a heterogeneous mismatch of pulmonary ventilation and perfusion, mainly associated with immunothrombosis, endothelialitis and neovascularisation. During the disease, lung weight, elastance and dead space can increase, affecting respiratory drive, effort and dyspnoea. In some severe cases, COVID-19 pneumonia may lead to irreversible pulmonary fibrosis.

This review summarises the fundamental pathophysiological features of COVID-19 in the context of the respiratory system. It provides an overview of the key clinical manifestations of COVID-19 pneumonia, including gas exchange impairment, altered pulmonary mechanics and implications of abnormal chemical and mechanical stimuli. It also critically discusses the clinical implications for mechanical ventilation therapy.
Efficacy of Electroacupuncture Compared With Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation for Severe Chronic Constipation
Authors: Zeng Yuxiao , Chen Feng
Published: December 2021

Background

To treat severe chronic constipation, both electroacupuncture (EA) therapy and transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) are safe and effective, but there is a lack of comparison between the 2 treatments. We sought to compare the therapeutic effect of EA relative to TES for the treatment of severe chronic constipation.

Methods:

We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial. Seventy participants with severe chronic constipation were randomly allocated to the EA group or TES group. The acupoints in both groups are bilateral Tianshu (stomach 25), Fujie (spleen 14), and Shangjuxu (stomach 37). Each participant received 24 sessions of EA or TES during the treatment period of 8 weeks. Outcome measures were the proportion of participants with an increase from baseline of 1 or more complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) at week 8 and changes in the number of CSBMs and spontaneous bowel movements, stool character, difficulty in defecation, Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL); the proportion of participants using rescue medicine and adverse reactions. Participants were followed for 24 weeks after the treatment.

Results:

Sixty of the 70 eligible participants completed the whole trial, 32 participants (91.43%) in the EA group and 28 participants (80.00%) in the TES group. There were 10 participants (14.29%) who dropped out during the whole study, 3 (8.57%) in the EA group, and 7 (20.00%) in the TES group. At weeks 20 and 32, 22 of 32 (68.75%) and 19 of 32 (59.38%) in the EA group met the clinical outcome of an increase of 1 or more CSBMs from the baseline, compared with 10 of 28 (35.71%) and 9 of 28 (32.14%) in the TES group (P=0.019 and 0.042, respectively). At the same time, the proportions of participants having 3 or more CSBMs per week were 18 of 32 (56.25%) and 15 of 32 (46.88%) in the EA group, respectively, compared with 6 of 28 (21.43%) and 5 of 28 (17.86%) in the TES group (P=0.008 and 0.027, respectively). Statistical differences between the 2 groups were maintained in the change from baseline in CSBMs during the follow-up period (P=0.007 and 0.013, at week 20 and 32, respectively) and in the change from baseline in spontaneous bowel movements at week 20 (P=0.007). Statistical significance was also observed in the decrease of PAC-QOL score after 8 weeks of treatment (mean±SD, EA: 19.06±14.41 vs. TES: 12.48±9.13, P=0.031). No significant difference was noted between the 2 groups in defecation difficulty, stool character, and the use of rescue medicine.

Conclusions:

For the treatment of severe chronic constipation, EA performed better than TES in long-term follow-up and improving the quality of life. TES could be a better choice for patients with severe chronic constipation who are afraid of acupuncture because it is noninvasive. Well-designed and more rigorous clinical trials with larger sample sizes are needed.
Predictors of survival in portopulmonary hypertension: a 20-year experience
Authors: Aggarwal Manik , Li Manshi , Bhardwaj Abhishek , Wallace William D. , Wang Xiaofeng , Carey William D. , Dweik Raed A. , Heresi Gustavo A. , Tonelli Adriano R.
Published: December 2021

Background and objectives

Portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH) is a rare complication of portal hypertension associated with poor survival. Scarce data is available on predictors of survival in PoPH with conflicting results. We sought to characterize the outcomes and variables associated with survival in a large cohort of patients with PoPH in an American population of patients.

Study design and methods

We identified PoPH patients from the Cleveland Clinic Pulmonary Hypertension Registry between 1998 and 2019. We collected prespecified data, particularly focusing on hepatic and cardiopulmonary assessments and tested their effect on long-term survival.

Results

Eighty patients with PoPH with a mean ± SD age of 54 ± 10 years, (54% females) were included in the analysis. The median Model for End-Stage Liver Disease with sodium (MELD-Na) score was 13.0 (10.0–18.0) at PoPH diagnosis. World Health Association functional class III-IV was noted in 57%. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure was 47 ± 10 mmHg and pulmonary vascular resistance 6.0 ± 2.8 Woods units. A total of 63 (78.5%) patients were started on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-specific treatment during the first 6 months of diagnosis. Survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 77, 52 and 34%, respectively. Cardiopulmonary hemodynamics as well as PAH-specific treatment did not affect survival. In the multivariable model, MELD-Na, resting heart rate and the presence of hepatic encephalopathy were independent predictors of survival.

Conclusion

PoPH patients have poor 5-year survival which is strongly associated to the severity of underlying liver disease and not to the hemodynamic severity of PoPH; therefore efforts should be focused in facilitating liver transplantation for these patients.
Pseudo-Central Pontine Myelinolysis
Authors: Rumschlag Matthew , Prahlow Joseph A. , Castellani Rudolph J. , Fisher-Hubbard Amanda O.
Published: December 2021

Central pontine myelinolysis is most commonly associated with rapid correction of hyponatremia and has historically been associated with alcoholism. In this case report, 2 deaths with gross findings of central pontine lesions led to the possibility that CPM may have been a potential mechanism of death. Subsequent analysis revealed that these lesions were incidental findings. This case report discusses the importance of appropriate microscopic and immunohistochemical analysis of suspected CPM cases.
An Evaluation of Antimicrobial Prescribing and Risk-adjusted Mortality
Authors: Pelletier Jonathan H. , Au Alicia K. , Fuhrman Dana , Zullo James , Thompson Ann E. , Clark Robert S.B. , Horvat Christopher
Published: December 2021

Introduction:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends tracking risk-adjusted antimicrobial prescribing. Prior studies have used prescribing variation to drive quality improvement initiatives without adjusting for severity of illness. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between antimicrobial prescribing and risk-adjusted ICU mortality in the Pediatric Health Information Systems (PHIS) database, assessed by IBM-Watson risk of mortality. A nested analysis sought to assess an alternative risk model incorporating laboratory data from federated electronic health records.

Methods:

Retrospective cohort study of pediatric ICU patients in PHIS between 1/1/2010 and 12/31/2019, excluding patients admitted to a neonatal ICU, and a nested study of PHIS+ from 1/1/2010 to 12/31/2012. Hospital antimicrobial prescription volumes were assessed for association with risk-adjusted mortality.

Results:

The cohort included 953,821 ICU encounters (23,851 [2.7%] nonsurvivors). There was 4-fold center-level variability in antimicrobial use. ICU antimicrobial use was not correlated with risk-adjusted mortality assessed using IBM-Watson. A risk model incorporating laboratory data available in PHIS+ significantly outperformed IBM-Watson (c-statistic 0.940 [95% confidence interval 0.933–0.947] versus 0.891 [0.881–0.901]; P < 0.001, area under the precision recall curve 0.561 versus 0.297). Risk-adjusted mortality was inversely associated with antimicrobial prescribing in this smaller cohort using both the PHIS+ and Watson models (P = 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively).

Conclusions:

Antimicrobial prescribing among pediatric ICUs in the PHIS database is variable and not associated with risk-adjusted mortality as assessed by IBM-Watson. Expanding existing administrative databases to include laboratory data can achieve more meaningful insights when assessing multicenter antibiotic prescribing practices.
Endoscopic Forehead Lift Using Pretrichial Vertical Incisions and Solid Suture Technique: Effective Fixation and Lesser Scar Formation
Authors: Doh GyeongHyeon , Han Dong Wan
Published: December 2021

Endoscopic forehead lift with frontal incisions behind anterior hairline has been used conventionally not to exposure scar on the forehead. Accordingly, patients with convex forehead, high hairline, and redundant forehead skin are regarded as not good candidates for endoscopic forehead lift. However, we introduce the advantages of pretrichial vertical incision on the forehead using techniques that minimize the risk of scar formation. Between December 2019 and April 2021, 73 patients who underwent endoscopic forehead lift using pretrichial vertical incision and cortical bone tunnel fixation method were enrolled in this study. One plastic surgeon independently assessed postoperative 6 months scar using Scar Cosmesis Assessment and Rating scale, which include clinician questions and patient questions. Seventy-three patients (67 women and 6 men) with a mean age of 54.5 years (range, 19– 76 years) were included in this study. Skin sutures were stitched out 7.15 days after surgery (range, 7–8 days). All patients were followed up over 6 months. ‘‘Overall impression” and ‘‘patient question’’ scored zero in all patients. In 14 patients, pencil-thin line was shown, and the other 1 patient showed a little hyperpigmentation in 1 scar out of 3 frontal scars. Erythema, track marks or suture marks, and hypertrophy/atrophy were scored zero in all patients. The worst total score was 1 in 15 patients. Pretrichial vertical incision with cortical bone tunnel fixation using nonabsorbable suture provides several advantages comparing to conventional incision behind anterior hairline. Scar, which is the only potential concern, was not substantive problem and can be overcome with our techniques.
Accuracy of risk tools to predict critical bleeding in major trauma: A systematic review with meta-analysis
Authors: Gianola Silvia , Castellini Greta , Biffi Annalisa , Porcu Gloria , Napoletano Antonello , Coclite Daniela , D'Angelo Daniela , Fauci Alice Josephine , Iacorossi Laura , Latina Roberto , Salomone Katia , Gupta Shailvi , Iannone Primiano , Chiara Osvaldo
Published: December 2021

BACKGROUND

Early detection of critical bleeding by accurate tools can help ensure rapid delivery of blood products to improve outcomes in major trauma patients. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the accuracy of risk tools to predict critical bleeding in patients with major trauma.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL were searched up to February 2021 for studies investigating risk tools to predict critical bleeding for major trauma people in prehospital and emergency department. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy study guidelines. Two independent authors included studies, extracted data, appraised the quality using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 and assessed the certainty of evidence (CoE) using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. Sensitivity, specificity, and the receiver operating characteristics curve for all selected triage tools.

RESULTS

Eighty-nine observational studies for adults and 12 observational studies for children met our inclusion criteria. In adults, we found 23 externally validated and 28 unvalidated tools; in children, 3 externally validated tools and 5 unvalidated. In the externally validated tools, we identified those including clinical, laboratory, and ultrasound assessments. Among tools including only a clinical assessment, the Shock Index showed high sensitivity and specificity with the CoE ranging from very low to moderate in adults, as well as Shock Index Pediatric Age adjusted with a moderate CoE. We found that tools using clinical, laboratory, and ultrasound assessments were overall more accurate than those tools without all three components.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians should consider risk tools to predict critical bleeding in a time-sensitive setting like major life-threatening trauma. The Shock Index and Shock Index Pediatric Age adjusted are easy and handy tools to predict critical bleeding in the prehospital setting. In the emergency department, however, many other tools can be used, which include laboratory and ultrasound assessments, depending on staff experience and resources.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis; Level III.
Geometric frustration in the myosin superlattice of vertebrate muscle
Authors: Millane Rick P. , Wojtas David H. , Hong Yoon Chun , Blakeley Nicholas D. , Bones Philip J. , Goyal Abhishek , Squire John M. , Luther Pradeep K.
Published: December 2021

Geometric frustration results from an incompatibility between minimum energy arrangements and the geometry of a system, and gives rise to interesting and novel phenomena. Here, we report geometric frustration in a native biological macromolecular system---vertebrate muscle. We analyse the disorder in the myosin filament rotations in the myofibrils of vertebrate striated (skeletal and cardiac) muscle, as seen in thin-section electron micrographs, and show that the distribution of rotations corresponds to an archetypical geometrically frustrated system---the triangular Ising antiferromagnet. Spatial correlations are evident out to at least six lattice spacings. The results demonstrate that geometric frustration can drive the development of structure in complex biological systems, and may have implications for the nature of the actin--myosin interactions involved in muscle contraction. Identification of the distribution of myosin filament rotations with an Ising model allows the extensive results on the latter to be applied to this system. It shows how local interactions (between adjacent myosin filaments) can determine long-range order and, conversely, how observations of long-range order (such as patterns seen in electron micrographs) can be used to estimate the energetics of these local interactions. Furthermore, since diffraction by a disordered system is a function of the second-order statistics, the derived correlations allow more accurate diffraction calculations, which can aid in interpretation of X-ray diffraction data from muscle specimens for structural analysis.
The impact of raindrops on
Salvinia molesta
leaves: effects of trichomes and elasticity
Authors: Konrad Wilfried , Roth-Nebelsick Anita , Kessel Benjamin , Miranda Tatiana , Ebner Martin , Schott Rena , Nebelsick James H.
Published: December 2021

The floating leaves of the aquatic fern
Salvinia molesta
are covered by superhydrophobic hairs (=trichomes) which are shaped like egg-beaters. These trichomes cause high water repellency and stable unwettability if the leaf is immersed. Whereas
S. molesta
hairs are technically interesting, there remains also the question concerning their biological relevance.
S. molesta
has its origin in Brazil within a region exposed to intense rainfall which easily penetrates the trichome cover. In this study, drop impact on leaves of
S. molesta
were analysed using a high-speed camera. The largest portion of the kinetic energy of a rain drop is absorbed by elastic responses of the trichomes and the leaf. Although rain water is mostly repelled, it turned out that the trichomes hamper swift shedding of rain water and some residual water can remain below the ‘egg-beaters’. Drops rolling over the trichomes can, however, ‘suck up’ water trapped beneath the egg-beaters because the energetic state of a drop on top of the trichomes is—on account of the superhydrophobicity of the hairs—much more favourable. The trichomes may therefore be beneficial during intense rainfall, because they absorb some kinetic energy and keep the leaf base mostly free from water.
The Grotthuss mechanism for bifunctional proton transfer in poly(benzimidazole)
Authors: Thisuwan Jittima , Promma Phorntep , Sagarik Kritsana
Published: December 2021

Poly(benzimidazole) (PBI) has received considerable attention as an effective high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cells. In this work, the Grotthuss mechanism for bifunctional proton transfer in PBI membranes was studied using density functional theory and transition state theory. This study focused on the reaction paths and kinetics for bifunctional proton transfer scenarios in neutral ([PBI]2), single (H+[PBI]2) and double-protonated (H2+[PBI]2) dimers. The theoretical results showed that the energy barriers and strength for H-bonds are sensitive to the local dielectric environment. For [PBI]2withε= 1, the uphill potential energy curve is attributed to extraordinarily strong ion-pair H-bonds in the transition structure, regarded as a ‘dipolar energy trap’. Forε= 23, the ion-pair charges are partially neutralized, leading to a reduction in the electrostatic attraction in the transition structure. The dipolar energy trap appears to prohibit interconversion between the precursor, transition and proton-transferred structures, which rules out the possibility for [PBI]2to be involved in the Grotthuss mechanism. For H+[PBI]2and H2+[PBI]2withε= 1, the interconversion involves a low energy barrier, and the increase in the energy barrier forε= 23 can be attributed to an increase in the strength of the protonated H-bonds in the transition structure: the local dielectric environment enhances the donor–acceptor interaction of the protonated H-bonds. Analysis of the rate constants confirmed that the quantum effect is not negligible for the N–H+… N H-bond especially at low temperatures. Agreement between the theoretical and experimental data leads to the conclusion that the concerted bifunctional proton transfer in H2+[PBI]2in a high local dielectric environment is ‘the rate-determining scenario’. Therefore, a low local dielectric environment can be one of the required conditions for effective proton conduction in acid-doped PBI membranes. These theoretical results provide insights into the Grotthuss mechanism, which can be used as guidelines for understanding the fundamentals of proton transfers in other bifunctional H-bond systems.
Prevotella illustrans sp. nov., derived from human oropharyngeal abscess puncture fluid
Authors: Buhl Michael E. J. , Meier-Kolthoff Jan P. , Marschal Matthias
Published: December 2021

An obligately anaerobic strain, designated as A2931T, was isolated from oropharyngeal abscess puncture fluid of a patient sampled during routine care at a hospital and further characterized both phenotypically, biochemically and genotypically. This Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium was moderately saccharolytic and proteolytic. Phylogenetic analyses of full-length 16S rRNA gene and whole-genome sequences revealed it to be best placed in the genus

Prevotella

, but to be only comparatively distantly related to recognized species, with the closest relationship to

Prevotella baroniae

(average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values both well below the generally accepted thresholds). Strain A2931T had a genomic DNA G+C content of 47.7 mol%. Its most abundant cellular long-chain fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 0. Taken together, this polyphasic data suggests strain A2931T to represent a novel species within the genus

Prevotella

, for which the name Prevotella illustrans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is A2931T (=DSM 108028T=CCOS 1232T=CCUG 72806T). Interestingly, we found strain A2931T to correspond to the oral taxon

Prevotella

HMT-820 in the Human Oral Microbiome Database, as supported by overall genome relatedness index analyses >99 %. Thus, our work not only closes one of the gaps of knowledge about hitherto unnamed species isolated from humans, but also will facilitate identification of this taxon both in the clinical microbiology context and in research alike.
Pontibacter aquaedesilientis sp. nov., isolated from Jeongbang Waterfall, Jeju Island
Authors: Chhetri Geeta , Seo Taegun
Published: December 2021

A red-pigmented, aerobic, motile by gliding, pleomorphic to long-rods and divided by budding bacterium, Gram-stain negative bacterium, designated JH31T, was isolated from stream water of Jeongbang Waterfall, famous feature of Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. The cells grew at 9–40 °C (optimum, 28–30 °C), at pH 5.0–10.0 (pH 6.5–7.5) and with 0–6% NaCl (0% NaCl). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain JH31T forms a lineage within the family Hymenobacteriaceae and clusters with its closest related species Pontibacter virorsus KCTC 42941T (98.1%),

Pontibacter salisaro

KACC 16885T (98.0%),

Pontibacter amylolyticus

JCM 19653T (97.2%),

Pontibacter ramchanderi

KACC 17384T (97.2%) and

Pontibacter lucknowensis

DM9T (96.4%). Strain JH31T produced carotenoid-type pigments but no flexirubin-type pigments. The genome was 4117105 bp long with 18 contigs and 3509 protein-coding genes. The DNA G+C content was 49.7 mol%. The digital DNA–DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between the genome sequence of strain JH31T and its closely related reference strains were less than 19 and 72%, respectively. The draft genome of strain JH31T contained vital gene clusters involved in resistance against various metals, antibiotics, toxic compounds and radiation. The respiratory quinone of strain JH31T was menaquinone 7 and the predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C15:0, and summed feature 4 (comprising iso-C17:1 I and/or anteiso B). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified glycolipids, one unidentified phospholipid, one unidentified phosphoglycolipid and one unidentified aminoglycolipid. The phylogenetic, physiochemical and biochemical data showed that strain JH31T should represent a novel species in the genus

Pontibacter

, for which the name Pontibacter aquaedesilientis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain for this novel species is JH31T (KACC 21705T=NBRC 114480T).
Cryptosporidium felis differs from other Cryptosporidium spp. in codon usage
Authors: Li Jiayu , Guo Yaqiong , Roellig Dawn M. , Li Na , Feng Yaoyu , Xiao Lihua
Published: December 2021

Cryptosporidium spp. are important enteric pathogens in a wide range of vertebrates including humans. Previous comparative analysis revealed conservation in genome composition, gene content, and gene organization among Cryptosporidium spp., with a progressive reductive evolution in metabolic pathways and invasion-related proteins. In this study, we sequenced the genome of zoonotic pathogen Cryptosporidium felis and conducted a comparative genomic analysis. While most intestinal Cryptosporidium species have similar genomic characteristics and almost complete genome synteny, fewer protein-coding genes and some sequence inversions and translocations were found in the C. felis genome. The C. felis genome exhibits much higher GC content (39.6 %) than other Cryptosporidium species (24.3–32.9 %), especially at the third codon position (GC3) of protein-coding genes. Thus, C. felis has a different codon usage, which increases the use of less energy costly amino acids (Gly and Ala) encoded by GC-rich codons. While the tRNA usage is conserved among Cryptosporidium species, consistent with its higher GC content, C. felis uses a unique tRNA for GTG for valine instead of GTA in other Cryptosporidium species. Both mutational pressures and natural selection are associated with the evolution of the codon usage in Cryptosporidium spp., while natural selection seems to drive the codon usage in C. felis. Other unique features of the C. felis genome include the loss of the entire traditional and alternative electron transport systems and several invasion-related proteins. Thus, the preference for the use of some less energy costly amino acids in C. felis may lead to a more harmonious parasite–host interaction, and the strengthened host-adaptation is reflected by the further reductive evolution of metabolism and host invasion-related proteins.
Real-time conversion of tissue-scale mechanical forces into an interdigitated
growth pattern
Authors: Belteton Samuel A. , Li Wenlong , Yanagisawa Makoto , Hatam Faezeh A. , Quinn Madeline I. , Szymanski Margarete K. , Marley Mathew W. , Turner Joseph A. , Szymanski Daniel B.
Published: December 2021

The leaf epidermis is a dynamic biomechanical shell that integrates growth
across spatial scales to influence organ morphology. Pavement cells, the
fundamental unit of this tissue, morph irreversibly into highly lobed cells that
drive planar leaf expansion. Here we define how tissue-scale cell wall tensile
forces and the microtubule-cellulose synthase systems pattern interdigitated
growth in real-time. A morphologically potent subset of cortical microtubules
span the periclinal and anticlinal cell faces to pattern cellulose fibers that
generate a patch of anisotropic wall. The result is local polarized growth that
is mechanically coupled to the adjacent cell via a pectin-rich middle lamella,
and this drives lobe formation. Finite element pavement cell models revealed
cell wall tensile stress as an upstream patterning element that links cell- and
tissue-scale biomechanical parameters to interdigitated growth. Cell lobing in
leaves is evolutionarily conserved, occurs in multiple cell types, and is
associated with important agronomic traits. Our general mechanistic models of
lobe formation provide a foundation to analyze the cellular basis of leaf
morphology and function.
The Intrathecal Morphine for Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy (IMPELD) Study: Rationale and Protocol for a Double-blinded Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial
Authors: Lei Yue , Feng Zhang , Guanzhang Mu , Meixia Shang , Haolin Sun , Zengmao Lin
Published: December 2021

Background

Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD), a minimally invasive spinal technique for lumbar disc herniation (LDH), has gained popularity globally and yielded satisfying results. However, PELD is often performed on awaking patients to avoid nerve injury, thus the intraoperative analgesia of PELD is sometimes insufficient. The effect of intrathecal morphine (ITM) has been well proved in various surgical specialties, and this study aims to investigate the effectiveness and safety of ITM on PELD.

Methods

The intrathecal morphine for percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (IMPELD) trial is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. The 90 eligible LDH patients undergoing PELD will be randomly assigned to receive either ITM or placebo during spinal anesthesia, at a 1:1 ratio, with a one-month follow-up period. Average intraoperative pain intensity will be the primary outcome. Secondary outcome measures include intraoperative pain intensity assessed at each 30 min intraoperatively, postoperative pain intensity, perioperative analgesia requirements, functional evaluation, radiographic characteristics, overall satisfaction, other characteristics and adverse events.

Discussion

Currently, there is a lack of scientific evidence to provide a reliable method to reduce intraoperative pain of PELD. The IMPELD trial was designed to provide evidence regarding whether 100 ug of ITM is an effective and safe coanalgesic approach for PELD procedure.

Trial registration

The trial was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (identifier ChiCTR2000039842). Registered on November 11th, 2020.
Does the application of Robotics improve outcomes of pedicle screw insertion in spine surgery compared to conventional fluoroscopy guidance? A protocol for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kumar Vishal , Baburaj Vishnu , Kumar Prasoon , Dhatt Sarvdeep Singh
Published: December 2021

Background

Pedicle screw insertion is routinely carried out in spine surgery that has traditionally been performed under fluoroscopy guidance. Robotic guidance has recently gained popularity in order to improve the accuracy of screw placement. However, it is unclear whether the use of robotics alters the accuracy of screw placement or clinical outcomes.

Objectives

This systematic review aims to compare the results of pedicle screws inserted under fluoroscopy guidance, with those inserted under robotic guidance, in terms of both short-term radiographic outcomes, as well as long-term clinical outcomes.

Methods

This systematic review will be conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. A literature search will be conducted on the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Ovid with a pre-determined search strategy. A manual bibliography search of included studies will also be done. Original articles in English that directly compare pedicle screw insertion under robotic guidance to those inserted under fluoroscopy guidance will be included. Data on outcomes will be extracted from included studies and analysis carried out with the help of appropriate software.
Down-regulation of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in vaccinated smokers
Authors: Zhang Jiahui , Teng Fei , Zhang Xiaomei , Wang Hongye , Liang Te , Guo Shubin , Yu Xiaobo
Published: December 2021

Vaccination is an effective approach to help control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, since the vaccines produce a heterogenous immune response, the risk of breakthrough infection is increased in vaccinated individuals who generate low levels of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). It is therefore paramount in the fight against COVID-19 to identify individuals who have a higher risk of breakthrough infection despite being vaccinated. Here we addressed the effect of cigarette smoking on the production of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) following COVID-19 vaccination since smoking profoundly suppresses the adaptive immune response to pathogen infection and the association between vaccination and smoking remains unclear. The SARS-CoV-2 Spike antibodies and NAbs (days 0, 14, 42, and 90) were measured in 164 participants received two vaccine doses of an inactivated vaccine (Sinovac-CoronaVac) longitudinally. Anti-Spike antibodies was elevated 14 and 42 days after COVID-19 vaccination compared to baseline (i.e., “Day 0”). Notably, RBD antibodies showed significantly higher expression in the nonsmoking group (n=153) than the smoking (n=11) group on day 42 (p<0.0001, Student’s t-test). NAbs continually increased after the first and second vaccine dose, peaking on day 42. NAbs titers then significantly decreased until day 90. Compared to nonsmokers, the NAb levels in smokers remained low throughout the period of testing. The median NAb titers in the smoking group was 1.40-, 1.32-, or 3.00-fold lower than that of nonsmoking group on day 14, 42, or 90, respectively. Altogether, our results indicate that smoking is a specific risk factor for COVID-19 breakthrough infection following vaccination.
Personal Resources, Emotion Regulation, Parenting Style, Social Support On Cyberbullying Victims: A Literature Review
Authors: Agustiningsih Nia , Rumambo Pandin Moses Glorino
Published: December 2021

Cyberbullying is a teenage phenomenon that needs attention because it causes serious short-term and long-term impacts in all aspects of health. The right coping strategies are needed by teenagers to be able to face cyberbullying so that teenagers have good resilience. The purpose of this literature review is to find out what are the important things that need to be considered in cyberbullying victims. The method of writing this article is a literature review of 25 articles with the year 2019-2021 published from the Scopus, Science direct, SAGE and Proquest databases. The method of searching and selecting articles used The Center for Review and Dissemination and the Joanna Briggs Institute Guideline and PRISMA Checklist with selection criteria using the PICOS approach. The results of the literature review show that Personal Resources, Emotional Regulation, Parenting Patterns and Support from Peers, Family/Parents, and Teachers is an important thing that needs to be considered for victims of cyberbullying. Furthermore, Adolescents need to get promotive and interventional programs to improve their abilities in coping strategies against cyberbullying and bullying so that with the right coping strategies they will feel good welfare and optimal academic achievement at school.
Associations of Epstein-Barr Virus Infection with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Learning Disability, and Special Education in U.S. Children
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Li Yaping , Geng Xiaozhen , Zhang Xin , Xiao Yanfeng , Wang Wenjun
Published: December 2021

Background

Most infections of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is potentially neurotropic, occurred in childhood, but little is known about its association with child neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Methods

We determined whether EBV seropositivity was associated with parent-reported attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disability, or special education utilization among children, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004. Potential confounding factors were adjusted using survey logistic regression models.

Results

EBV seroprevalence was 69.6% (95% CI, 67.1%-72.1%) for U.S. children aged 6-19. The prevalence was 8.86% (95% CI, 7.47%-10.47%) for ADHD among 6-19 year olds, 11.70% (95% CI, 9.84%-13.87%) for learning disability among 6-15 year olds, and 10.18% (95% CI, 8.58%-12.05%) for special education among 6-17 year olds. Children with positive anti-EBV had higher crude prevalence rates of learning disability and special education but not ADHD compared with those with negative anti-EBV. The adjusted odds ratios were 2.76 (95% CI, 1.53-4.96) for learning disability, 3.58 (95% CI, 1.92-6.55) for special education, and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.42-1.38) for ADHD, when comparing children with positive and negative anti-EBV.

Conclusions

EBV seropositivity was associated with learning disability and special education among U.S. children. Future studies that longitudinally examine the associations are warranted.
Characterization of the genetic relationship between the domains of sleep and circadian-related behaviors with substance use phenotypes
Authors: Hatoum Alexander S. , Winiger Evan A. , Morrison Claire L. , Johnson Emma C. , Agrawal Arpana
Published: December 2021

Sleep problems and substance use frequently cooccur. While substance use can often manifest as specific sleep deficits, genetic pleiotropy could also explain part of the relationship between sleep and substance use. Here we assess the genetic overlap between substance use behaviors and both sleep and circadian-related activity measures by deriving genetic clusters between these domains and testing processes of causality vs. horizontal pleiotropy using the largest publicly available genome-wide summary statistics of substance use behaviors (N= 79,729 - 632,802) and sleep/activity phenotypes/endophenotypes to date (N=85,502 - 449,734). We found 31 genetic correlations between substance use and sleep/activity measures after Bonferroni correction. Two specific genetic clusters explained our patterns of overlap. Genes associated with tobacco use severity (age of first regular tobacco use and smoking cessation) share overlap with elements of sleep health (sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and chronotype). Substance consumption (drinks per day and cigarettes per day) and problematic substance use behaviors (cannabis use disorder, opioid use disorder, and problematic alcohol use) clustered strongly with problematic measures of sleep (insomnia, self-reported short sleep duration, increased number of sleep episodes, increased sleep duration variability, diurnal inactivity) as well as measures of circadian-related activity (L5, M10, and sleep midpoint). Latent causal variable analyses determined that horizontal pleiotropy (rather than causality) underlies a majority of the associations between substance use and sleep/circadian related measures, except one plausible genetically causal relationship for opioid use disorder on self-reported long sleep duration. Results indeed show significant genetic overlap between substance use and sleep/circadian-related activity measures.
Oral antiviral clevudine compared with placebo in Korean COVID-19 patients with moderate severity
Authors: Song Joon-Young , Kim Yeon-Sook , Eom Joong-Sik , Kim Jin-Yong , Lee Jin-Soo , Lee Jacob , Choi Won-Suk , Heo Jung-Yeon , Sohn Jang-Wook , Lee Ki-Deok , Cho Donghui , Cho Ilyoung , Kim Woo-Joo
Published: December 2021

Background

Clevudine, an antiviral drug for chronic hepatitis B virus infection, is expected to inhibit the replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. Therefore, we conducted a prospective, single-blind, proof of concept clinical study to examine the antiviral efficacy and safety of clevudine compared to placebo in Korean corona virus disease 19 (COVID-19) patients with moderate severity.

Methods

Adults with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptom onset within 7 days were randomized 2:1 to 120 mg clevudine or placebo to receive one of treatments orally once-daily for 14 days. Antiviral efficacy outcomes were the proportion of patients with real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) negative result for SARS-CoV-2 infection and cycle threshold (Ct) value changes from baseline. Clinical efficacy outcomes included proportion of patients who showed improvement in lung involvement by imaging tests, proportion of patients with normal body temperature, proportion of patients with normal oxygen saturation, and the changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) from baseline. Safety outcomes included changes in clinical laboratory tests, vital signs measurement, and physical examination from baseline, and incidence of adverse events.

Results

The proportion of patients with real-time RT-PCR negative test and Ct value changes showed no significant difference between clevudine group and placebo group. The changes in Ct value from baseline were significantly greater in clevudine group compared to placebo group in patients with hypertension, and patients who underwent randomization during the first 5 and 7 days after the onset of symptoms. All clinical efficacy outcomes had no significant difference between clevudine group and placebo group. Clevudine was well tolerated and there was no significant difference in safety profile between two treatment groups.

Conclusions

This is the first clinical study to compare the antiviral efficacy and safety of clevudine to placebo in Korean COVID-19 patients with moderate severity. The study has demonstrated a possible favorable outcome for the reduction of SARS-CoV-2 replication, with acceptable safety profile, when COVID-19 patients were treated with clevudine. Further large-scale clinical studies, preferably with various clinical endpoints and virus titer evaluation, are required to better understand the effectiveness of using clevudine in COVID-19 treatment. Considering recent trend in clinical development for antiviral drugs, we need to design a clinical study aiming for reducing clinical risk of COVID-19 in mild to moderate patients with at least one risk factor for serious illness.
Germline Allelic Expression of Genes at 17q22 Locus Associates with Risk of Breast Cancer
Authors: Esteves Filipa , Xavier Joana M. , Ford Anthony M. , Rocha Cátia , Pharoah Paul D.P. , Caldas Carlos , Chin Suet-Feung , Maia Ana-Teresa
Published: December 2021

Abstract

Translation of GWAS findings into preventive approaches is challenged by identifying the causal risk variants and understanding their biological mechanisms. We present a novel approach using AE ratios to perform quantitative case-control analysis to identify risk associations, causal regulatory variants, and target genes. Using the breast cancer risk locus 17q22 to validate this approach, we found a significant shift in the AE patterns of STXBP4 (rs2628315) and COX11 (rs17817901) in the normal breast tissue of cases and healthy controls. Preferential expression of the G-rs2628315 and A-rs17817901 alleles, more often observed in cases, was associated with an increased risk for breast cancer. Analysis of blood samples from cases and controls found a similar association. Furthermore, we identified two putative cis-regulatory variants – rs17817901 and rs8066588 – that affect a miRNA and a transcription factor binding site, respectively. Our work reveals the power of integrating AE data in cancer risk studies and presents a novel approach to identifying risk - case-control association analysis using AE ratios.
Differences in disease burdens across human populations are governed more by neutral evolution than by natural selection
Authors: Hazra Ujani , Lachance Joseph
Published: December 2021

The prevalence of most complex diseases varies across human populations, and a combination of socioeconomic and biological factors drives these differences. Likewise, divergent evolutionary histories can lead to different genetic architectures of disease, where allele frequencies and linkage disequilibrium patterns at disease-associated loci differ across global populations. However, it is presently unknown how much natural selection contributes to the health inequities of complex polygenic diseases. Here, we focus on ten hereditary diseases with the largest global disease burden in terms of mortality rates (e.g., coronary artery disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and lung cancer). Leveraging multiple GWAS and polygenic risk scores for each disease, we examine signatures of selection acting on sets of disease-associated variants. First, on a species level, we find that genomic regions associated with complex diseases are enriched for signatures of background selection. Second, tests of polygenic adaptation incorporating demographic histories of continental super-populations indicate that most complex diseases are primarily governed by neutral evolution. Third, we focus on a finer scale, testing for recent positive selection on a population level. We find that even though some disease-associated loci have undergone recent selection (extreme values of integrated haplotype scores), sets of disease-associated loci are not enriched for selection when compared to baseline distributions of control SNPs. Collectively, we find that recent natural selection has had a negligible role in driving differences in the genetic risk of complex diseases between human populations. These patterns are consistent with the late age of onset of many complex diseases.