bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Asymmetric Peripheral Refraction Profile in Myopes along the Horizontal Meridian
Authors: Yelagondula Vijay Kumar , Achanta Divya Sree Ramya , Panigrahi Swathi , Panthadi Sahithi Kusuma , Verkicharla Pavan Kumar
Published: February 2022

SIGNIFICANCE

The investigation of peripheral refraction profiles in Indian myopes showed relative peripheral hyperopic refraction in temporal retina and possible dominant role of hyperopic defocus signals from temporal retina in the development of myopia.

PURPOSE

Considering that the peripheral refraction profiles were extensively reported to be associated with the central refractive error and vary among different ethnicities, we investigated the peripheral refraction profiles in Indians.

METHODS

A total of 161 participants aged between 18 and 33 years were included in the study. All of the eligible participants underwent a comprehensive eye examination. Central and peripheral refractions were determined using an open-field autorefractor in 10° intervals up to ±30° in the horizontal meridian, and in 5° intervals up to ±15° in the vertical meridian. Axial length and central corneal radius were measured using a non-contact optical biometer. Peripheral refraction was compared between the different refractive error groups and myopic subgroups.

RESULTS

Myopes showed a significant asymmetrical peripheral refraction profile along horizontal meridian with relative peripheral myopia at nasal 30° and relative peripheral hyperopia at temporal 30° (mean ± standard error at N30°: −0.37 ± 0.13 D vs. T30°: +0.56 ± 0.11 D, P < .05). Emmetropes and hyperopes showed relative peripheral myopia both in nasal and temporal eccentricities. Relative peripheral refraction was significantly different between the refractive groups and myopic subgroups along the temporal retinal eccentricities only (P < .05). Along the vertical meridian, relative peripheral myopia was seen among the three refractive error groups (P < .05). J
0 and J
45 significantly changed with retinal eccentricity along both the meridians in all the refractive error groups (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Myopes showed an asymmetric type of peripheral refraction with relative hyperopic defocus in temporal retina and myopic defocus in the nasal retina. Possible role of retinal hyperopic defocus along temporal retina in myopiogenesis needs to be explored.
Enhanced Depth-of-focus Intraocular Lenses: Latest Wavefront-shaped Optics versus Diffractive Optics
Authors: Schmid Ruediger , Luedtke Holger , Borkenstein Andreas F.
Published: February 2022

SIGNIFICANCE

The modulation transfer functions (MTFs) of two novel enhanced depth-of-focus (EDoF) intraocular lenses (IOLs) were compared with an established diffractive EDoF IOL. Such assessment, which was not described before in the literature, is of high clinical impact in lens surgery.

PURPOSE

A new kind of nondiffractive, wavefront-shaped EDoF IOLs has been introduced very recently to cope with halos and glare known from diffractive optics. We aimed to assess the performance of two of these novel EDoF IOLs compared with an established diffractive EDoF IOL.

METHODS

TECNIS Symfony, AcrySof IQ Vivity, and LuxSmart Crystal IOLs (22 D each) were assessed by the OptiSpheric IOL PRO 2 imaging test bench with an ISO-2 cornea and a wavelength of 546 nm. Measurements were carried out by TRIOPTICS GmbH. Through-frequency MTF, Strehl ratio, and U.S. Air Force targets were evaluated. A decentration of 1 mm and a tilt of 5° as well as different apertures of 3 and 4.5 mm were applied additionally.

RESULTS

TECNIS Symfony performed superiorly to Vivity and LuxSmart for our settings. The diffractive optics of Symfony showed a considerable decrease in MTF and Strehl ratio when decentered. Overall, decentration had more impact on MTF and Strehl ratio than tilt. Larger aperture led to a decreased MTF and Strehl ratio for all IOLs tested. U.S. Air Force targets had better contrast for Symfony and for small aperture.

CONCLUSION

The novel wavefront-shaped EDoF IOLs failed to outperform the established diffractive achromatic optics of Symfony EDoF IOL with respect to MTF and qualitative contrast function. These results apply only to the distance viewing condition. Near vision performance will be evaluated in a future study.
Hydatid Disease, an Uncommon Etiology of Death in Forensic Practice
Authors: Mahjoub Yosra , Boussaid Marwa , Mesrati Mohamed Amine , Hadj Meriem Bel , Limem Hiba , Abdeljalil Nouha , Salem Nidhal Haj , Zakhama Abdelfatteh , Chadly Ali , Aissaoui Abir
Published: February 2022

In Tunisia, hydatid cyst is an endemic parasitic disease. The cyst may remain asymptomatic, discovered accidentally, or in case of a complication, the most serious of which is sudden death. We propose, in this article, to analyze the degree of involvement of the cyst in the mechanism of death, through the review of 25 cases. A total of 7932 autopsy cases were performed during the study period. Twenty-five cases of hydatid cyst discovered at autopsy were collected and death was attributed to hydatid cyst in 13 cases. The seat of the cyst was variable and death was due to anaphylaxis in 10 cases, to hydatious embolism in 2 cases and to cardiac arrhythmia, resulting from a cardiac localization of a large hydatid cyst, in 1 case.

Although rare, echinococcosis can be a life-threatening disease. Its involvement in the death mechanism remains difficult in many cases.
Motor Vehicle Collision and Acute Kidney Injury in Children
Authors: Kuok Chon In , Chan Winnie Kwai Yu
Published: February 2022

Objective

Our study aimed to determine the prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in pediatric patients who sustained trauma due to motor vehicle collision (MVC) and identify factors associated with its development.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical information and laboratory tests of pediatric patients who were admitted because of MVC from January 2014 to April 2021. The occurrence of AKI was our primary outcome, which was defined by the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. A serum creatine kinase (CK) level of 1000 IU/L or greater was defined as rhabdomyolysis.

Results

Sixty-four patients (median age, 9.6 years) were included in the study. Twenty three of the patients (35.9%) developed AKI: stage 1 AKI in 18 (78.3%) and stage 2 AKI in 5 (21.7%) patients. Acute kidney injury patients had higher injury severity scores (no AKI: 5.0; stage 1 AKI: 10.5; stage 2 AKI: 26.0). Rhabdomyolysis was present in 21.1% of the patients and was associated with the overall AKI risk (odds ratio [OR], 7.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6–32.6) and stage 2 AKI (OR, 15.0; 95% CI, 1.4–163.2). Blood tests from AKI patients showed lower serum bicarbonate and base excess, higher leukocyte and CK levels on admission, and a higher peak CK in the first 72 hours of admission. Intubation in emergency department (OR, 11.1; 95% CI, 1.2–102.1) and surgical interventions (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.0–9.8) were associated with AKI. Acute kidney injury patients required longer stay in pediatric intensive care unit (median 1.0 vs 2.3 days, P < 0.001) and hospital (median 4.1 vs 7.0 days, P = 0.010).

Conclusions

Approximately one third of pediatric patients who sustained trauma from MVC developed AKI. Initial blood results, including higher CK and leukocyte count, and lower bicarbonate and base excess, were associated with the development of AKI. Rhabdomyolysis occurred in approximately one fifth of the patients and was significantly associated with AKI.
Novel Mutation of Tyrosinemia in a Child With Hypophosphatemic Rickets
Authors: Dogra Surabhi , Kumar Karunesh , Malik Rohan , Malhotra Smita , Sibal Anupam
Published: February 2022

Tyrosinemia is an inherited metabolic disease of fumarylacetoacetate enzyme. A male infant presented to us with clinical features of rickets, floppiness, and a deranged coagulation profile. A novel mutation causing Tyrosinemia was discovered on the basis of genetic sequencing.
Keto-Bezoar: Adverse Event Related to Initiation of Ketogenic Diet in an Infant
Authors: Stegall Cassandra , Evans Melissa C. , Hollinger Laura E. , Walz Alice A.
Published: February 2022

The ketogenic diet is frequently used as part of the treatment regimen for pediatric patients with refractory epilepsy. This diet is generally well tolerated, with constipation being the most described side effect. This case highlights a previously undocumented severe complication of a “keto-bezoar” formation related to the initiation of the ketogenic diet in a young infant.
Heterotopic Gastric Mucosa Causing Rectal Bleeding in a Young Child
Authors: Patricia-Rae Meyer Blake , Nguyen Johnny , Wilsey Michael , Karjoo Sara
Published: February 2022

Heterotopic gastric mucosa (HGM) in the colon and small bowel is a very rare finding. We report a case of HGM in the rectum of an 8-year-old child with a history of eosinophilic esophagitis after having a colonoscopy to evaluate for inflammatory bowel disease. The colonoscopy was normal except for rectal tissue erythema and edema. Inflammatory bowel disease has been reported in some cases of children with eosinophilic changes of the esophagus. The child had intermittent rectal bleeding thought to be due to constipation. Interestingly, when the patient was placed on a proton pump inhibitor for the treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis, the rectal bleeding decreased. After our patient ceased proton pump inhibitor therapy, he experienced a large amount of rectal bleeding. Histological findings revealed HGM in the colon/rectum. An extensive review of the incidence, diagnosis, and treatment is discussed.
The Effects of Cold Exposure Training and a Breathing Exercise on the Inflammatory Response in Humans: A Pilot Study
Authors: Zwaag Jelle , Naaktgeboren Rick , van Herwaarden Antonius E. , Pickkers Peter , Kox Matthijs
Published: February 2022

Objective

We previously showed that a training intervention comprising a combination of meditation, exposure to cold, and breathing exercises enables voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system, reflected by profoundly increased plasma epinephrine levels, and subsequent attenuation of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response. Several elements of the intervention may contribute to these effects, namely, two different breathing exercises (either with or without prolonged breath retention) and exposure to cold. We determined the contribution of these different elements to the observed effects.

Methods

Forty healthy male volunteers were randomized to either a short or an extensive training in both breathing exercises by either the creator of the training intervention or an independent trainer. The primary outcome was plasma epinephrine levels. In a subsequent study, 48 healthy male volunteers were randomized to cold exposure training, training in the established optimal breathing exercise, a combination of both, or no training. These 48 participants were subsequently intravenously challenged with 2 ng/kg LPS. The primary outcome was plasma cytokine levels.

Results

Both breathing exercises were associated with an increase in plasma epinephrine levels, which did not vary as a function of length of training or the trainer (F(4,152) = 0.53, p = .71, and F(4,152) = 0.92, p = .46, respectively). In the second study, the breathing exercise also resulted in increased plasma epinephrine levels. Cold exposure training alone did not relevantly modulate the LPS-induced inflammatory response (F(8,37) = 0.60, p = .77), whereas the breathing exercise led to significantly enhanced anti-inflammatory and attenuated proinflammatory cytokine levels (F(8,37) = 3.80, p = .002). Cold exposure training significantly enhanced the immunomodulatory effects of the breathing exercise (F(8,37) = 2.57, p = .02).

Conclusions

The combination of cold exposure training and a breathing exercise most potently attenuates the in vivo inflammatory response in healthy young males. Our study demonstrates that the immunomodulatory effects of the intervention can be reproduced in a standardized manner, thereby paving the way for clinical trials.

Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT02417155 and NCT03240497.
Unmet needs for HIV ancillary care services by healthcare coverage and Ryan White HIV/AIDS program assistance
Authors: Dasgupta Sharoda , Crim Stacy M. , Dawson Lindsey , Kates Jennifer , Weiser John , Klein Pamela W. , Dempsey Antigone , Hauck Heather , Lu Jen-Feng , Shu Fengjue , Beer Linda
Published: February 2022

Objective:

To investigate unmet needs for HIV ancillary care services by healthcare coverage type and Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) assistance among adults with HIV.

Design:

We analyzed data using the 2017–2019 cycles of the CDC Medical Monitoring Project, an annual, cross-sectional study designed to produce nationally representative estimates of characteristics among adults with diagnosed HIV.

Methods:

Unmet need was defined as needing, but not receiving, one or more HIV ancillary care services. We estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using predicted marginal means to examine associations between healthcare coverage type and unmet needs for HIV ancillary care services, adjusting for age. Associations were stratified by receipt of RWHAP assistance.

Results:

Unmet needs for HIV ancillary care services were highest among uninsured persons (58.7%) and lowest among those with private insurance living with at least 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL; 21.7%). Uninsured persons who received RWHAP assistance were less likely than those who did not receive RWHAP assistance to have unmet needs for HIV clinical support services (aPR: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.16–0.28) and other medical services (aPR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.59–0.96), but not subsistence services (aPR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.74–1.27). Unmet needs for other medical services and subsistence services did not differ by RWHAP assistance among those with Medicaid, Medicare, or other healthcare coverage.

Conclusions:

RWHAP helped reduce some needs for uninsured persons. However, with growing socioeconomic inequities following the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, expanding access to needed services for all people with HIV could improve key outcomes.
Plasma d-amino acids are associated with markers of immune activation and organ dysfunction in people with HIV
Authors: Yap Siew Hwei , Lee Cheng Siang , Furusho Aogu , Ishii Chiharu , Shaharudin Syahirah , Zulhaimi Nurul Syuhada , Kamarulzaman Adeeba , Kamaruzzaman Shahrul Bahyah , Mita Masashi , Leong Kok Hoong , Hamase Kenji , Rajasuriar Reena
Published: February 2022

Background:

d-Amino acids (d-AAs) have been associated with age-associated conditions in the general population but their relevance in people with HIV (PWH), who experience accentuated/accelerated aging has not been studied. We compared d-AA levels in HIV-infected and uninfected controls and explored their association with markers of immune activation, gut permeability and organ dysfunction.

Design:

Case–control analysis.

Method:

Plasma samples from 60 antiretroviral therapy-treated HIV-infected individuals and 59 uninfected controls were analysed. A three-dimensional HPLC system was used to measure d-and l-asparagine, serine, alanine and proline and presented as %d-AA. Additionally, cell-associated and soluble markers of immune activation and senescence were characterized. Kidney and liver functions were expressed as estimated glomerular filtration rate and fibrosis-4 scores, respectively. Mann–Whitney and Spearman rank correlation coefficients were used for statistical analysis.

Results:

d-Asparagine, d-serine, d-alanine and d-proline were detectable in all plasma samples and correlated with age in HIV-infected and uninfected but not different between groups. Kynurenine/tryptophan ratio was positively correlated with all %d-AAs in PWH and with %d-serine and %d-proline in controls. %d-AAs were not consistently correlated with markers of gut permeability in both groups. All %d-AAs were also correlated with kidney function in both groups whereas age-associated accumulation of %d-asparagine, %d-serine and %d-proline were correlated with liver function and the VACS score in controls.

Conclusion:

Plasma d-AAs are associated with chronological age and correlated with markers of immune activation and organ decline, though variably, in PWH and controls. Their role in the biology of aging warrants further investigation.
Exploring Estimates and Reasons for Lost to Follow-Up Among People Living With HIV on Antiretroviral Therapy in Kisumu County, Kenya
Authors: Samba Benard O. , Lewis-Kulzer Jayne , Odhiambo Francesca , Juma Eric , Mulwa Edwin , Kadima Julie , Bukusi Elizabeth A. , Cohen Craig R.
Published: February 2022

Background:

A better understanding why people living with HIV (PLHIV) become lost to follow-up (LTFU) and determining who is LTFU in a program setting is needed to attain HIV epidemic control.

Setting:

This retrospective cross-sectional study used an evidence-sampling approach to select health facilities and LTFU patients from a large HIV program supporting 61 health facilities in Kisumu County, Kenya.

Methods:

Eligible PLHIV included adults 18 years and older with at least 1 clinic visit between September 1, 2016, and August 31, 2018, and were LTFU (no clinical contact for ≥90 days after their last expected clinic visit). From March to June 2019, demographic and clinical variables were collected from a sample of LTFU patient files at 12 health facilities. Patient care status and retention outcomes were determined through program tracing.

Results:

Of 787 LTFU patients selected and traced, 36% were male, median age was 30.5 years (interquartile range: 24.6–38.0), and 78% had their vital status confirmed with 560 (92%) alive and 52 (8%) deceased. Among 499 (89.0%) with a retention outcome, 233 (46.7%) had stopped care while 266 (53.3%) had self-transferred to another facility. Among those who had stopped care, psychosocial reasons were most common {65.2% [95% confidence interval (CI): 58.9 to 71.1]} followed by structural reasons [29.6% (95% CI: 24.1 to 35.8)] and clinic-based reasons [3.0% (95% CI: 1.4 to 6.2)].

Conclusion:

We found that more than half of patients LTFU were receiving HIV care elsewhere, leading to a higher overall patient retention rate than routinely reported. Similar strategies could be considered to improve the accuracy of reporting retention in HIV care.
Population genomics of the food-borne pathogen Vibrio fluvialis reveals lineage associated pathogenicity-related genetic elements
Authors: Zheng Hongyuan , Huang Yuanming , Liu Ping , Yan Lin , Zhou Yanyan , Yang Chao , Wu Yarong , Qin Jingliang , Guo Yan , Pei Xiaoyan , Guo Yunchang , Cui Yujun , Liang Weili
Published: February 2022

Vibrio fluvialis

is a food-borne pathogen with epidemic potential that causes cholera-like acute gastroenteritis and sometimes extraintestinal infections in humans. However, research on its genetic diversity and pathogenicity-related genetic elements based on whole genome sequences is lacking. In this study, we collected and sequenced 130 strains of

V. fluvialis

from 14 provinces of China, and also determined the susceptibility of 35 of the strains to 30 different antibiotics. Combined with 52 publicly available

V. fluvialis

genomes, we inferred the population structure and investigated the characteristics of pathogenicity-related factors. The

V. fluvialis

strains exhibited high levels of homologous recombination and were assigned to two major populations, VflPop1 and VflPop2, according to the different compositions of their gene pools. VflPop2 was subdivided into groups 2.1 and 2.2. Except for VflPop2.2, which consisted only of Asian strains, the strains in VflPop1 and VflPop2.1 were distributed in the Americas, Asia and Europe. Analysis of the pathogenicity potential of

V. fluvialis

showed that most of the identified virulence-related genes or gene clusters showed high prevalence in

V. fluvialis

, except for three mobile genetic elements: pBD146, ICEVflInd1 and MGIVflInd1, which were scattered in only a few strains. A total of 21 antimicrobial resistance genes were identified in the genomes of the 182 strains analysed in this study, and 19 (90%) of them were exclusively present in VflPop2. Notably, the tetracycline resistance-related gene tet(35) was present in 150 (95%) of the strains in VflPop2, and in only one (4%) strain in VflPop1, indicating it was population-specific. In total, 91% of the 35 selected strains showed resistance to cefazolin, indicating

V. fluvialis

has a high resistance rate to cefazolin. Among the 15 genomes that carried the previously reported drug resistance-related plasmid pBD146, 11 (73%) showed resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, which we inferred was related to the presence of the dfr6 gene in the plasmid. On the basis of the population genomics analysis, the genetic diversity, population structure and distribution of pathogenicity-related factors of

V. fluvialis

were delineated in this study. The results will provide further clues regarding the evolution and pathogenic mechanisms of

V. fluvialis

, and improve our knowledge for the prevention and control of this pathogen.
Rare actinobacteria isolated from the hypersaline Ojo de Liebre Lagoon as a source of novel bioactive compounds with biotechnological potential
Authors: Zamora-Quintero Andrea Y. , Torres-Beltrán Mónica , Guillén Matus Dulce G. , Oroz-Parra Irasema , Millán-Aguiñaga Natalie
Published: February 2022

The Ojo de Liebre Lagoon is a Marine Protected Area that lies within a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a critical habitat for important migratory species such as the grey whale and bird species. Unique hypersaline environments, such as the Ojo de Liebre Lagoon, are underexplored in terms of their bacterial and chemical diversity, representing a potential source for new bioactive compounds with pharmacological properties. Actinobacteria are one of the most diverse and prolific taxonomic bacterial groups in terms of marine bioactive compounds. This study aimed to identify the culturable actinobacterial community inhabiting the Lagoon, as well as to test their potential as new sources of anticancer compounds with pharmacological potential. A selective isolation approach focused on spore-forming bacteria from 40 sediment samples generated a culture collection of 64 strains. The 16S rRNA gene analyses identified three phyla in this study, the Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, where the phylum Actinobacteria dominated (57%) the microbial community profiles. Within the Actinobacteria, nine different genera were isolated including the Actinomadura, Micromonospora, Nocardiopsis,

Plantactinospora

and

Streptomyces

sp. We observed seasonal differences on actinobacteria recovery. For instance,

Micromonospora

strains were recovered during the four sampling seasons, while

Arthrobacter

and

Pseudokineococcus

were only isolated in February 2018, and Blastococcus, Rhodococcus and

Streptomyces

were uniquely isolated in June 2018. Ethyl acetate crude extracts derived from actinobacterial cultures were generated and screened for cytotoxic activity against six cancer cell lines. Strains showed promising low percentages of viability on lung (H1299), cervical (SiHa), colon (Caco-2) and liver (HepG2) cancer lines. Molecular networking results suggest many of the metabolites produced by these strains are unknown and they might harbour novel chemistry. Our results showed the Ojo de Liebre Lagoon is a novel source for isolating diverse marine actinobacteria which produce promising bioactive compounds for potential biotechnological use as anticancer agents.
Production of a Highly Immunogenic Antigen from SARS-CoV-2 by Covalent
Coupling of the Receptor Binding Domain of Spike Protein to a Multimeric
Carrier
Authors:   Argentinian AntiCovid
                    Consortium, Berguer Paula M. , Blaustein Matías , Bredeston Luis M. , Craig Patricio O. , D’Alessio Cecilia , Elias Fernanda , Farré Paola C. , Fernández Natalia B. , Gentili Hernán G. , Gándola Yamila B. , Gasulla Javier , Gudesblat Gustavo E. , Herrera María G. , Ibañez Lorena I. , Idrovo-Hidalgo Tommy , Nadra Alejandro D. , Noseda Diego G. , Paván Carlos H. , Pavan María F. , Pignataro María F. , Roman Ernesto A. , Ruberto Lucas A. M. , Rubinstein Natalia , Sanchez María V. , Santos Javier , Wetzler Diana E. , Zelada Alicia M.
Published: February 2022

Since the discovery of SARS-CoV-2, several antigens have been proposed to be
part of COVID-19 vaccines. The receptor binding domain (RBD) of Spike protein is
one of the promising candidates to develop effective vaccines since it can
induce potent neutralizing antibodies. We previously reported the production of
RBD in Pichia pastoris and showed it is structurally
identical to the protein produced in mammalian HEK-293T cells. In this work we
designed an RBD multimer construct with the purpose of increasing RBD
immunogenicity. We produced multimeric particles by a transpeptidation reaction
between the RBD expressed in P. pastoris and Lumazine
Synthase from Brucella abortus (BLS), which is a
highly immunogenic and very stable decameric protein of 170 kDa. We vaccinated
mice with two doses 30 days apart, and then we measured humoral immune response.
When the number of RBD copies coupled to BLS was high (6-7 RBD molecules per BLS
decamer, in average), the immune response was significantly better than that
elicited by RBD alone or even by RBD-BLS comprising low number of RBD copies
(1-2 RBD molecules per BLS decamer). Remarkably, the construct with high number
of RBD copies induced high IgG titers with high neutralizing capacity.
Furthermore, a superior immune response was observed when Al(OH)3 adjuvant was
added to this formulation, exhibiting a higher titer of neutralizing antibodies.
Altogether our results suggest that RBD covalent coupled to BLS forming a
multimer-particle shows an advantageous architecture to the antigen-presentation
to the immune system which enhances immune responses. This new antigen should be
considered a potent candidate for a protein-based vaccine.
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in air and on surfaces in rooms of infected nursing home residents
Authors: Linde K.J. , Wouters I.M. , Kluytmans J.A.J.W. , Kluytmans-van den Bergh M.F.Q. , Pas S.D. , GeurtsvanKessel C.H. , Koopmans M.P.G. , Meier M. , Meijer P. , Raben C.R. , Spithoven J. , Tersteeg-Zijderveld M.H.G. , Heederik D.J.J. , Dohmen W. ,   COCON consortium
Published: February 2022

There is an ongoing debate on airborne transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as a risk factor for infection. In this study, the level of SARS-CoV-2 in air and on surfaces of SARS-CoV-2 infected nursing home residents was assessed to gain insight in potential transmission routes.

During outbreaks, air samples were collected using three different active and one passive air sampling technique in rooms of infected patients. Oropharyngeal swabs (OPS) of the residents and dry surface swabs were collected. Additionally, longitudinal passive air samples were collected during a period of 4 months in common areas of the wards. Presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was determined using RT-qPCR, targeting the RdRp- and E-genes. OPS, samples of two active air samplers and surface swabs with Ct value ≤35 were tested for the presence of infectious virus by cell culture. In total, 360 air and 319 surface samples from patient rooms and common areas were collected. In rooms of 10 residents with detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA in OPS, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 93 of 184 collected environmental samples (50.5%) (lowest Ct 29,5), substantially more than in the rooms of residents with negative OPS on the day of environmental sampling (n=2) (3.6%). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was most frequently present in the larger particle size fractions (>4 μm 60% (6/10); 1-4 μm 50% (5/10); <1 μm 20% (2/10)) (Fischer exact test p=0.076). The highest proportion of RNA-positive air samples on room level was found with a filtration-based sampler 80% (8/10) and the cyclone-based sampler 70% (7/10), and impingement-based sampler 50% (5/10). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in ten out of twelve (83%) passive air samples in patient rooms. Both high-touch and low-touch surfaces contained SARS-CoV-2 genome in rooms of residents with positive OPS (high 38% (21/55); low 50% (22/44)). In one active air sample, infectious virus in vitro was detected.

In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 is frequently detected in air and on surfaces in the immediate surroundings of room-isolated COVID-19 patients, providing evidence of environmental contamination. The environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 and infectious aerosols confirm the potential for transmission via air up to several meters.
Evaluation of Three Forms of Rhizoctonia solani Mediated Pathogenicity to Sugar Beet Cultivars in Greenhouse Studies
Authors: Haque Md Ehsanul , Parvin Most Shanaj
Published: February 2022

Rhizoctonia solani causes damping-off, as well as crown and root rot of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L). This pathogen overwinters as sclerotia or melanized mycelia. Traditionally, the resistance of cultivars to R. solani is evaluated by scoring disease reactions of the crowns and roots of older seedlings, instead of evaluating at seed germination. Most studies that have evaluated cultivar resistance to R. solani have used colonized whole barley grains as artificial inocula. Colonized grains are prone to contamination with other pathogens and are often lost to rodents/birds when applied in the field. Considering those limitations, a study was undertaken (1) to develop in vitro methods to generate natural sclerotia of R. solani on a large scale, (2) to compare pathogenic potentials of R. solani sclerotia, mycelia, and colonized barley grains for optimization of damping-off assays, and (3) to evaluate resistance of selected commercial cultivars to R. solani. Of the six-culture media, amended clarified V8 (ACV8) was the most suitable culture medium to grow and produce sclerotia on a large scale and 10% PDA was the least suitable. Three testing sizes of sclerotia were found to be equally effective in causing plant losses. Sclerotia inocula were comparable with mycelial discs and colonized barley grains in causing pre-emergence damping off under aseptic in vitro conditions. Sclerotia also were equally or more effective than mycelia plug or barley grain inocula in reducing seedling emergence, inducing damping off, and increased root rot under greenhouse in vivo conditions. To conclude, sclerotia can be prepared on a feasible scale and used as natural inocula to screen response to R. solani on sugar beet.
Intermittent Fasting Mitigates Vascular and Neuronal Pathologies in a Mouse Model of Vascular Dementia
Authors: Rajeev Vismitha , Fann David Y. , Dinh Quynh Nhu , Kim Hyun Ah , De Silva T. Michael , Jo Dong-Gyu , Drummond Grant R. , Sobey Christopher G. , Lai Mitchell K.P. , Chen Christopher Li-Hsian , Arumugam Thiruma V.
Published: February 2022

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is an important pathophysiological mechanism of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). The heterogeneous effects of CCH complicate establishing single target therapies against VCI and its more severe form, vascular dementia (VaD). Intermittent fasting (IF) has multiple targets and is neuroprotective across a range of disease conditions including stroke, but its effects against CCH-induced neurovascular pathologies remain to be elucidated. We therefore assessed the effect of IF against CCH-associated neurovascular pathologies and investigated underlying mechanisms. Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to either ad libitum feeding (AL) or IF (16 hours of fasting per day) for 4 months. In both groups, CCH was experimentally induced by the bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) method. Sham operated groups were used as controls. Measures of leaky microvessels, blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability, protein expression of tight junctions, extracellular matrix components and white matter changes were determined to investigate the effect of IF against CCH-induced neurovascular pathologies. IF alleviated CCH-induced neurovascular pathologies by reducing the number of leaky microvessels, BBB breakdown, loss of tight junctional proteins and vascular endothelial growth factors. In addition, IF mitigated the severity of white matter lesions, maintained myelin basic protein levels, while concurrently reducing hippocampal neuronal cell death. Furthermore, IF reduced CCH-induced increase in levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and its upstream activator MT1-MMP, which are involved in the breakdown of the extracellular matrix that is a core component of the BBB. Additionally, we observed that IF reduced CCH-induced increase in the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde, and increased antioxidant markers glutathione and superoxide dismutase. Combined, our data suggests that IF attenuates neurovascular damage, metalloproteinase and oxidative stress-associated pathways, and cell death in the brain following CCH in a mouse model of VCI. Although IF has yet to be assessed in human patients with VaD, our data suggest that IF may be an effective means of preventing the onset or suppressing the development of neurovascular pathologies in VCI and VaD.
Plastomes of Garcinia mangostana L. and comparative analysis with other Garcinia species
Authors: Wee Ching-Ching , Nor Muhammad Nor Azlan , Subbiah Vijay Kumar , Arita Masanori , Nakamura Yasukazu , Goh Hoe-Han
Published: February 2022

The two varieties of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) cultivated in Malaysia are known as Manggis and Mesta. The latter is preferred for its flavor, texture, and seedlessness. Here, we report a complete plastome (156,580 bp) of the Mesta variety which was obtained through a hybrid assembly approach using PacBio and Illumina sequencing reads. It encompasses a large single-copy (LSC) region (85,383 bp) and a small single-copy (SSC) region (17,137 bp) that are separated by 27,230 bp of inverted repeat (IR) regions at both ends. The plastome comprises 128 genes, namely 83 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The plastome of the Manggis variety (156,582 bp) obtained from reference-guided assembly of Illumina reads was found to be nearly identical to Mesta except for two indels and the presence of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Comparative analyses with other publicly available Garcinia plastomes, including G. anomala, G. gummi-gutta, G. mangostana var. Thailand, G. oblongifolia, G. paucinervis, and G. pedunculata found that the gene content, gene order, and gene orientation were highly conserved among the Garcinia species. Phylogenomic analysis divided the six Garcinia plastomes into three groups with the Mesta and Manggis varieties clustered closer to G. anomala, G. gummi-gutta, and G. oblongifolia, while the Thailand variety clustered with G. pedunculata in another group. These findings serve as future references for the identification of species or varieties and facilitate phylogenomic analysis of lineages from the Garcinia genus to better understand their evolutionary history.
An expanded population of CD8dimT cells with features of mitochondrial dysfunction and senescence is associated with persistent HIV-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma under ART
Authors: Clutton Genevieve T , Weideman Ann Marie K , Goonetilleke Nilu P , Maurer Toby
Published: February 2022

HIV-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), which is caused by Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, usually arises in the context of uncontrolled HIV replication and immunosuppression. However, disease occasionally persists in individuals with durable HIV viral suppression and CD4 T cell recovery under anti-retroviral therapy (ART). The underlying mechanisms associated with this persistence are unclear. Suppression of viral infections can be mediated by CD8 T cells that detect infected cells via their T cell receptor and the CD8 co-receptor. However, CD8 T cells exhibit signs of functional exhaustion in untreated HIV infection that may not be fully reversed under ART. To investigate whether persistent KS under ART was associated with phenotypic and functional perturbations of CD8 T cells, we performed a cross-sectional study comparing HIV-infected individuals with persistent KS under effective ART (HIV+ KS+) to HIV-infected individuals receiving effective ART with no documented history of KS (HIV+ KSneg). A subset of T cells with low cell surface expression of CD8 (“CD8dimT cells”) was expanded in HIV+ KS+ compared with HIV+ KSnegparticipants. Relative to CD8brightT cells, CD8dimT cells exhibited signs of senescence (CD57) and mitochondrial perturbations (PGC-1α, MitoTracker) ex vivo. Mitochondrial activity (MitoTracker) was also reduced in proliferating CD8dimT cells. These findings indicate that an expanded CD8dimT cell population displaying features of senescence and mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with KS persistence under ART. CD8 co-receptor down-modulation may be symptomatic of ongoing disease.
Adverse effects of antipsychotic drugs on metabolism depend on drug dosing and feeding times
Authors: Zapata Rizaldy C , Silver Allison , Yoon Dongmin , Chaudry Besma , Libster Avraham , McCarthy Michael J , Osborn Olivia
Published: February 2022

Antipsychotic drugs (AP) are highly efficacious treatments for psychiatric disorders but are associated with significant metabolic side effects. The circadian clock maintains metabolic homeostasis by sustaining daily rhythms in feeding, fasting and hormone regulation but how circadian rhythms interact with AP and its associated metabolic side effects is not well known. In these studies, we investigated the impact of time of AP dosing on the development of metabolic side effects. In mice, AP dosing at the start of the light cycle (AM) resulted in significant increase in food intake, weight gain compared with equivalent dose before the onset of darkness (PM). Time of AP dosing also impacted circadian gene expression, metabolic hormones and inflammatory pathways and their diurnal expression patterns. To examine the possibility of time-dependent AP effects in humans, we conducted a retrospective examination of weight and metabolic outcomes in patients who received risperidone (RIS) for the treatment of serious mental illness. Using pharmacy records to estimate the time of RIS dosing, we observed a significant association between time of dosing and severity of RIS-induced metabolic side effects. Eating within a restricted time window (Time restricted feeding/eating, TRF/TRE) has been shown in both mouse and human studies to be an effective therapeutic intervention against obesity and metabolic disease. We demonstrate, for the first time, that TRF is an effective intervention to reduce AP-induced metabolic side effects in mice. These studies identify highly effective and translatable interventions to mitigate AP-induced metabolic side effects.
Fourth Wave of COVID-19 in India : Statistical Forecasting
Authors: Rajeshbhai Sabara Parshad , Dhar Subhra Sankar , Shalabh
Published: February 2022

The spread of COVID-19 pandemic has wave nature. This article proposes a statistical methodology to study and forecast the future waves. The methodology is applied to COVID-19 data from India to statistically forecast the occurrence of fourth wave in India. In the course of this study, the data is fitted by the mixture of Gaussian distribution, and Bootstrap methodology is used to compute the confidence interval of the time point of peak of the fourth wave. This methodology can also be used to forecast the fourth and other waves in other countries also.
Challenges and Opportunities Experienced by Performing Artists during COVID-19 Lockdown: Scoping Review
Authors: Brooks Samantha K , Patel Sonny S
Published: February 2022

This scoping review synthesises published literature on the experiences of professional and amateur performing artists during COVID-19 and their perceptions of the challenges and opportunities faced. Six electronic databases were searched for published English-language articles containing primary data on this topic; twenty-one studies were reviewed. Themes included loss of work, financial impact, concerns about the future, psychological wellbeing, social connections, continuing creative pursuits, and inequalities. Participants reported both detrimental psychological effects of lockdown such as anxiety and sleep problems and positive effects including reduced stress and enjoyment of having more free time. Most continued creative pursuits throughout lockdown, most commonly shifting to online platforms. However, many barriers to creative pursuits were reported, including lack of technological expertise or equipment. Concerns were raised about inequality, in particular racial disparities in the financial impact of the pandemic and additional pressures faced by performers with disabilities; with insufficient funds to afford the equipment needed to shift to remote performing; and with additional caring responsibilities. It is important that performing artists have access to peer support; that education on digital technologies is incorporated into future performing arts education; and that inequities are addressed to ensure the needs of diverse communities are met.
Mitochondrial Genome of Garcinia mangostana L. variety Mesta
Authors: Wee Ching-Ching , Nor Muhammad Nor Azlan , Subbiah Vijay Kumar , Arita Masanori , Nakamura Yasukazu , Goh Hoe-Han
Published: February 2022

Fruits of Garcinia mangostana L. (mangosteen) are rich in nutrients with xanthones found in the pericarp having great pharmaceutical potential. Mangosteen variety Mesta is only found in Malaysia, which tastes sweeter than the common Manggis variety in Southeast Asia. In this study, we report the complete mitogenome of G. mangostana L. variety Mesta with a total sequence length of 371,235 bp of which 1.7% could be of plastid origin. The overall GC content of the mitogenome is 43.8%, comprising 29 protein-coding genes, 3 rRNA genes, and 21 tRNA genes. Repeat and tandem repeat sequences accounted for 5.8% and 0.15% of the Mesta mitogenome, respectively. There are 333 predicted RNA-editing sites in Mesta mitogenome. These include the RNA-editing events that generated the start codon of nad1 gene and the stop codon of ccmFC gene. Phylogenomic analysis with a maximum likelihood method showed that the mitogenome of mangosteen variety Mesta was grouped under Malpighiales order. This is the first complete mitogenome from the Garcinia genus for future evolutionary studies.
Arabidopsis histone H3 lysine 9 methyltransferases KYP/SUVH5/6 are involved in leaf development by interacting with AS1-AS2 to repress KNAT1 and KNAT2
Authors: Hung Fu-Yu , Feng Yun-Ru , Shih Yuan-Hsin , Lai You-Cheng , Wu Keqiang
Published: February 2022

Arabidopsis KRYPTONITE/SUPPRESSOR OF VARIEGATION 3–9 HOMOLOG 4 (KYP/SUVH4), SUVH5 and SUVH6 are H3K9 methyltransferases and they are redundantly involved in silencing of transposable elements (TEs). A recent study indicated that KYP/SUVH5/6 can directly interact with the histone deacetylase HDA6 to synergistically regulate TE expression. However, the function of KYP/SUVH5/6 in plant development is still unclear. The ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1 (AS1) and AS2 form a transcription complex, which is involved in leaf development by repressing the homeobox genes KNOTTED-LIKE FROM ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 1 (KNAT1) and KNAT2. In this study, we found that KYP and SUVH5/6 directly interact with AS1-AS2 to repress KNAT1 and KNAT2 by altering histone H3 acetylation and H3K9 dimethylation levels. In addition, KYP can directly target on the promoters of KNAT1 and KNAT2, and the binding of KYP is dependent on AS1. Furthermore, the genome-wide occupancy profile of KYP indicated that KYP is enriched in the promoter regions of coding genes, and the binding of KYP is positively correlated with that of AS1 and HDA6. Together, these results indicate that Arabidopsis H3K9 methyltransferases KYP/SUVH5/6 are involved in leaf development by interacting with AS1-AS2 to alter histone H3 acetylation and H3K9 dimethylation from the KNAT1 and KNAT2 loci.
Bacterial metatranscriptomes in wastewater can differentiate virally infected human populations
Authors: Salido Rodolfo A , Martino Cameron , Karthikeyan Smruthi , Huang Shi , Rahman Gibraan , Gonzalez Antonio , Zaramela Livia S. , Beck Kristen L , Bhute Shrikant , Cantrell Kalen , Carrieri Anna Paola , Farmer Sawyer , Haiminen Niina , Humphrey Greg , Kim Ho-Cheol , Parida Laxmi , Richter Alex , Vázquez-Baeza Yoshiki , Zengler Karsten , Swafford Austin D. , Bartko Andrew , Knight Rob
Published: February 2022

Monitoring wastewater samples at building-level resolution screens large populations for SARS-CoV-2, prioritizing testing and isolation efforts. Here we perform untargeted metatranscriptomics on virally-enriched wastewater samples from 10 locations on the UC San Diego campus, demonstrating that resulting bacterial taxonomic and functional profiles discriminate SARS-CoV-2 status even without direct detection of viral transcripts. Our proof-of-principle reveals emergent threats through changes in the human microbiome, suggesting new approaches for untargeted wastewater-based epidemiology.
ΔNp63 drives dysplastic alveolar remodeling and restricts epithelial plasticity upon severe lung injury
Authors: Weiner Aaron I. , Zhao Gan , Zayas Hanna M. , Holcomb Nicolas P. , Adams-Tzivelekidis Stephanie , Wong Joanna , Gentile Maria E. , Palashikar Gargi , Quansah Kwaku , Vaughan Andrew E.
Published: February 2022

Unlike many mammalian vital organs, the lung exhibits a robust, multifaceted regenerative response to severe injuries such as influenza infection, which primarily targets epithelial cells in the airways and alveoli. Quiescent lung-resident epithelial progenitors proliferate, migrate, and differentiate following lung injury, participating in two distinct reparative pathways: functionally beneficial regeneration and dysplastic tissue remodeling. Intrapulmonary airway-resident basal-like p63+progenitors are one such progenitor cell type that migrates from the airways to form ectopic bronchiolar tissue in the alveoli, generating honeycomb-like cysts that fail to resolve after injury. Though this phenomenon is now well described, the cell-autonomous signals that drive dysplastic alveolar remodeling remain uncertain, a question made especially salient by observations that p63+progenitors also expand dramatically upon diffuse alveolar damage in humans resulting from a variety of insults including SARS-CoV-2-induced ARDS. Here we show that the master basal cell transcription factor ΔNp63 is required for the immense migratory capacity of intrapulmonary p63+progenitors and consequently for the dysplastic repair pathway manifest by these cells. We further demonstrate that ΔNp63 restricts the fate plasticity of intrapulmonary p63+progenitors by regulating their epigenetic landscape, and that loss of ΔNp63 alters the deposition of active and repressive histone modifications at key differentiation gene loci, allowing ΔNp63KOprogenitors to proceed towards airway or alveolar differentiation depending on their surrounding environment. These insights into the regulatory mechanisms of dysplastic repair and intrapulmonary p63+progenitor fate choice highlight potential therapeutic targets to promote more effective alveolar regeneration following severe lung injuries.