bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Co-occurrence of rhizobacteria with nitrogen fixation and/or 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deamination abilities in the maize rhizosphere
Authors: Renoud Sébastien , Bouffaud Marie-Lara , Dubost Audrey , Prigent-Combaret Claire , Legendre Laurent , Moënne-Loccoz Yvan , Muller Daniel
Published: April 2020

The plant microbiota may differ depending on soil type, but these microbiota probably share the same functions necessary for holobiont fitness. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that phytostimulatory microbial functional groups are likely to co-occur in the rhizosphere, using groups corresponding to nitrogen fixation (nifH) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deamination (acdS), i.e. two key modes of action in plant-beneficial rhizobacteria. The analysis of three maize fields in two consecutive years showed that quantitative PCR numbers of nifH and of acdS alleles differed according to field site, but a positive correlation was found overall when comparing nifH and acdS numbers. Metabarcoding analyses in the second year indicated that the diversity level of acdS but not nifH rhizobacteria in the rhizosphere differed across fields. Furthermore, between-class analysis showed that the three sites differed from one another based on nifH or acdS sequence data (or rrs data), and the bacterial genera contributing most to field differentiation were not the same for the three bacterial groups. However, co-inertia analysis indicated that the genetic structures of both functional groups and of the whole bacterial community were similar across the three fields. Therefore, results point to co-selection of rhizobacteria harboring nitrogen fixation and/or 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deamination abilities.
An Overexpression Experiment Does Not Support the Hypothesis That Avoidance of Toxicity Determines the Rate of Protein Evolution
Authors: Biesiadecka Magdalena K , Sliwa Piotr , Tomala Katarzyna , Korona Ryszard
Published: April 2020

The misfolding avoidance hypothesis postulates that sequence mutations render proteins cytotoxic and therefore the higher the gene expression, the stronger the operation of selection against substitutions. This translates into prediction that relative toxicity of extant proteins is higher for those evolving faster. In the present experiment, we selected pairs of yeast genes which were paralogous but evolving at different rates. We expressed them artificially to high levels. We expected that toxicity would be higher for ones bearing more mutations, especially that overcrowding should rather exacerbate than reverse the already existing differences in misfolding rates. We did find that the applied mode of overexpression caused a considerable decrease in fitness and that the decrease was proportional to the amount of excessive protein. However, it was not higher for proteins which are normally expressed at lower levels (and have less conserved sequence). This result was obtained consistently, regardless whether the rate of growth or ability to compete in common cultures was used as a proxy for fitness. In additional experiments, we applied factors that reduce accuracy of translation or enhance structural instability of proteins. It did not change a consistent pattern of independence between the fitness cost caused by overexpression of a protein and the rate of its sequence evolution.
Canfam_GSD: De novo chromosome-length genome assembly of the German Shepherd Dog (Canis lupus familiaris) using a combination of long reads, optical mapping, and Hi-C
Authors: Field Matt A , Rosen Benjamin D , Dudchenko Olga , Chan Eva K F , Minoche Andre E , Edwards Richard J , Barton Kirston , Lyons Ruth J , Tuipulotu Daniel Enosi , Hayes Vanessa M , D. Omer Arina , Colaric Zane , Keilwagen Jens , Skvortsova Ksenia , Bogdanovic Ozren , Smith Martin A , Aiden Erez Lieberman , Smith Timothy P L , Zammit Robert A , Ballard J William O
Published: April 2020

Background

The German Shepherd Dog (GSD) is one of the most common breeds on earth and has been bred for its utility and intelligence. It is often first choice for police and military work, as well as protection, disability assistance, and search-and-rescue. Yet, GSDs are well known to be susceptible to a range of genetic diseases that can interfere with their training. Such diseases are of particular concern when they occur later in life, and fully trained animals are not able to continue their duties.

Findings

Here, we provide the draft genome sequence of a healthy German Shepherd female as a reference for future disease and evolutionary studies. We generated this improved canid reference genome (CanFam_GSD) utilizing a combination of Pacific Bioscience, Oxford Nanopore, 10X Genomics, Bionano, and Hi-C technologies. The GSD assembly is ~80 times as contiguous as the current canid reference genome (20.9 vs 0.267 Mb contig N50), containing far fewer gaps (306 vs 23,876) and fewer scaffolds (429 vs 3,310) than the current canid reference genome CanFamv3.1. Two chromosomes (4 and 35) are assembled into single scaffolds with no gaps. BUSCO analyses of the genome assembly results show that 93.0% of the conserved single-copy genes are complete in the GSD assembly compared with 92.2% for CanFam v3.1. Homology-based gene annotation increases this value to ~99%. Detailed examination of the evolutionarily important pancreatic amylase region reveals that there are most likely 7 copies of the gene, indicative of a duplication of 4 ancestral copies and the disruption of 1 copy.

Conclusions

GSD genome assembly and annotation were produced with major improvement in completeness, continuity, and quality over the existing canid reference. This resource will enable further research related to canine diseases, the evolutionary relationships of canids, and other aspects of canid biology.
Characterization of sheep erythrocyte glycosphingolipids recognized by human anti-Forssman antibodies
Authors: Santos Licinia , Jin Chunsheng , Mourato Cristiana , Mendes Fernando , Hesse Camilla , Teneberg Susann
Published: April 2020

The FORS histo-blood group system is the most recently discovered carbohydrate-based human blood group system. FORS is a rare blood group system, and most individuals have naturally occurring anti-FORS1 antibodies in plasma. Screening for anti-FORS1 antibodies is often done by hemagglutination assays using FORS1-expressing sheep erythrocytes, since FORS1-positive human erythrocytes are most often not available. Here, we have characterized the non-acid glycosphingolipids from sheep erythrocytes and isolated subfractions, with mass spectrometry, binding of antibodies and lectins, and by enzymatic hydrolysis. This demonstrated the presence of Forssman and Galili pentaosylceramides, and a Galili heptaosylceramide. Two complex glycosphingolipids recognized by human anti-FORS1 antibodies were characterized as a Forssman neolacto hybrid hexaosylceramide (GalNAcα3GalNAcβ3Galβ4GlcNAcβ3Galβ4Glcβ1Cer) and a Forssman Galili hybrid heptaosylceramide (GalNAcα3GalNAcβ3Galα3Galβ4GlcNAcβ3Galβ4Glcβ1Cer). These are novel glycosphingolipid structures, and to our knowledge, the first case of an elongated Galili antigen. Thus, the anti-Forssman antibodies in human serum bind not only to the classical Forssman pentaosylceramide (GalNAcα3GalNAcβ3Galα4Galβ4Glcβ1Cer), but also when the GalNAcα3GalNAcβ3 sequence is presented on a neolacto core chain and even on a Galili carbohydrate sequence.
Development and evaluation of smoke-free or tobacco-free policies in university settings: a systematic scoping review
Authors: Bardus M , El Boukhari N , Nakkash R
Published: April 2020

We conducted a systematic scoping review to map the available evidence on smoke-free or tobacco-free (SF/TF) university policies globally. We specifically looked at (i) how policies were developed and communicated and (ii) what indicators were used to evaluate their impact. We searched for peer-reviewed literature, published up to January 2020, across 10 multi-disciplinary databases. We followed a duplicate, independent data selection, and charting process. We inductively categorized the studies according to the research design and objective of ‘process’ and ‘impact evaluation’. We identified 75 unique studies across 23 countries conducted between 1993 and 2019. Most studies were conducted in the United States (46/75, 61.3%), were based on quantitative research design and focused on impact evaluations; a third (n = 28) reported both process and impact evaluations (37.3%). Community engagement and multi-channel communication strategies were mostly used to disseminate SF/TF policies. The impact was determined by a wide range of indicators for knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to policies. There is a mature, relevant body of literature describing the development and evaluation of SF/TF policies in universities. Future reviews could quantify the impact of the bans and may consider process indicators as moderating factors to explain the potential heterogeneity of results.
Topologies of Random Geometric Complexes on Riemannian Manifolds in the Thermodynamic Limit
Authors: Auffinger Antonio , Lerario Antonio , Lundberg Erik
Published: April 2020

We investigate the topologies of random geometric complexes built over random points sampled on Riemannian manifolds in the so-called “thermodynamic” regime. We prove the existence of universal limit laws for the topologies; namely, the random normalized counting measure of connected components (counted according to homotopy type) is shown to converge in probability to a deterministic probability measure. Moreover, we show that the support of the deterministic limiting measure equals the set of all homotopy types for Euclidean connected geometric complexes of the same dimension as the manifold.
The use of theory in the development and evaluation of behaviour change interventions to improve antimicrobial prescribing: a systematic review
Authors: Talkhan Hend , Stewart Derek , Mcintosh Trudi , Ziglam Hisham , Abdulrouf Palli Valappila , Al-Hail Moza , Diab Mohammad , Cunningham Scott
Published: April 2020

Objectives

This systematic review (SR) reviews the evidence on use of theory in developing and evaluating behaviour change interventions (BCIs) to improve clinicians’ antimicrobial prescribing (AP).

Methods

The SR protocol was registered with PROSPERO. Eleven databases were searched from inception to October 2018 for peer-reviewed, English-language, primary literature in any healthcare setting and for any medical condition. This included research on changing behavioural intentions (e.g. in simulated scenarios) and research measuring actual AP. All study designs/methodologies were included. Excluded were: grey literature and/or those which did not state a theory. Two reviewers independently extracted and quality assessed the data. The Theory Coding Scheme (TCS) evaluated the extent of the use of theory.

Results

Searches found 4227 potentially relevant papers after removal of duplicates. Screening of titles/abstracts led to dual assessment of 38 full-text papers. Ten (five quantitative, three qualitative and two mixed-methods) met the inclusion criteria. Studies were conducted in the UK (n = 8), Canada (n = 1) and Sweden (n = 1), most in primary care settings (n = 9), targeting respiratory tract infections (n = 8), and medical doctors (n = 10). The most common theories used were Theory of Planned Behaviour (n = 7), Social Cognitive Theory (n = 5) and Operant Learning Theory (n = 5). The use of theory to inform the design and choice of intervention varied, with no optimal use as recommended in the TCS.

Conclusions

This SR is the first to investigate theoretically based BCIs around AP. Few studies were identified; most were suboptimal in theory use. There is a need to consider how theory is used and reported and the systematic use of the TCS could help.
Chromatographic Separation of the Novel Hypoglycemic Drug Mitiglinide in its Bulk Powder and Pharmaceutical Formulation: Forced Degradation and Validated Stability-Indicating HPTLC/Densitometry and HPLC/UV Methods
Authors: Eissa Maya S , Darweish Eman , Elghobashy Mohammed R , Shehata Mostafa A
Published: April 2020

Background

Mitiglinide (MTG) is one of meglitinides group which are used for treatment of type two diabetes mellitus.

Objective

Mitiglinide (MTG) is a novel oral hypoglycemic drug. The present work adopts two stability-indicating chromatographic methods for determination of MTG after being exposed to forced degradation using 4 M methanolic HCl for 12 h.

Methods

The first method is HPTLC/densitometry using methanol:chloroform:acetic acid (5:2.5:0.3 by volume) as the eluting system and silica gel 60 GF254 as the stationary phase; the separated bands were then scanned at 220 nm. The second method is HPLC/UV in which acetonitrile:methanol:0.05 M potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate (pH 3.5) (40:25:35 by volume) was used as the mobile phase and a Zorbax SB-C8 (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) column as a stationary phase, at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and UV detection at 220 nm.

Results

As a result of acid hydrolysis, two degradants were obtained. The first one was benzyl succinic acid to which this study was performed. The second one lacked configuration and was unreadable using UV spectrometry. Linearity was in the range of 8–48 µg/band MTG for HPTLC and 10–80 µg MTG for HPLC. LOD and LOQ values were 1.85 and 5.62 µg/band for the HPTLC method and 2.14 and 6.49 µg/mL for the HPLC method, respectively. The Recovery % was 100.03 ± 1.464 and 99.61 ± 1.44 using the HPTLC and HPLC methods, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSD, %) for intra- and inter-day assays were 1.111 and 1.430 for the HPTLC method, respectively, and those for the HPLC method were 1.377 and 0.866, respectively. The RSD, %, for robustness testing was 1.162 (saturation time of mobile phase) and 1.592 (change in ratio of methanol content) for the HPTLC method and 1.377 (mobile phase composition), 1.713 (detector wavelength) and 1.770 (mobile phase flow rate) for the HPLC method.

Conclusions

The adopted methods were successfully applied for the determination of MTG in its pure form, in presence of its acid degradant and in its tablet dosage form.

Highlights

Statistical comparison between the results obtained from the developed methods and those obtained by the reported HPLC method showed no significance difference.
Influence of Provider Communication on Emerging Adults’ Medication Cognitions and Provider Satisfaction
Authors: Carreon Samantha A , Durkin Lindsay , Davies W Hobart , Greenley Rachel Neff
Published: April 2020

Objective

This study examined how the content of medical provider communication related to medication prescriptions influenced emerging adults’ (EA) medication-related cognitions and satisfaction with care.

Methods

In total, 257 EA (ages 18–25) were randomized to one of three audio vignettes depicting a medical appointment in which the EA imagined him/herself as the recipient of an oral antibiotic prescription. Provider communication content varied by vignette as follows: the positive outcome expectancy (POE) vignette focused on enhancing patient POE related to antibiotic use; the negative outcome expectancy (NOE) vignette focused on reducing patient NOE; and the standard care vignette focused on providing factual medication information. Following the vignette, participants self-reported on demographics, select medication-related cognitions, and provider satisfaction from vignette.

Results

Those in the NOE vignette condition reported higher provider satisfaction, perceived the provider to have given more information, and evidenced lower NOE and higher POE about the antibiotic compared with those in the other conditions. Intent to adhere did not vary by vignette condition.

Conclusions

Brief, provider-initiated communication focused on reducing patient NOE may have unique value in altering EA’s medication-related cognitions. Given that medication-related beliefs are known correlates of adherence, future research should replicate and expand these findings in the context of real-world medical encounters and through the utilization of objective indices of medication adherence to more fully understand the potential significance of provider language emphasizing reduction of NOE on medication adherence.
Veterans Team Recovery Integrative Immersion Process (Vet TRIIP): A Qualitative Evaluation of Participation and Impact
Authors: Maddox Dondee , Deschner Bob , Goodsun Dottie , Lapiz-Bluhm M Danet
Published: April 2020

Introduction

The Veterans Team Recovery Integrative Immersion Process (Vet TRIIP) is a short-term multi-modality complementary, integrative immersion program for veterans with chronic pain, post-traumatic stress, and related symptoms. Geared toward Veterans, active duty servicemembers, family members, and caregivers, Vet TRIIP aims to honor and empower them to create healthy, happy, and productive civilian lives. This study evaluates the program to determine its impact on the quality of life and ways to improve and develop Vet TRIIP.

Materials and Methods

In total, 14 clients participated in the qualitative review of the Vet TRIIP program in San Antonio. The participants were interviewed related to their reason for participating, their most bothersome symptoms and the effects of Vet TRIIP on those symptoms, service provided that is most and least appreciated, suggestions for improvement, and things learned from Vet TRIIP that helped them daily. Responses were analyzed for emerging themes.

Results

The main reasons for participating were physiological and psychological needs, social support, and curiosity to address their reported symptoms such as pain, stress/anxiety, and depression. Vet TRIIP reportedly improved their quality of life and decreased stress. The participants liked most the support of the Vet TRIIP staff and the interventions such as reiki and massage. Other participants did not like acupuncture. Participants suggested the addition of professional psychological services could be helpful. They reported that emotional freedom technique (EFT/tapping) and guided breathing were most useful in their daily lives. Each participant reported that Vet TRIIP was a positive experience that helped with their pain, anxiety, and stress management, providing an improvement in their quality of life. It also imparted an eye-opening experience to nontraditional non-pharmacological interventions for pain, anxiety, and stress.

Conclusions

Evaluative studies on organizations that support Veterans are useful to gauge the effectiveness and impact. Through this study, Veterans expressed perceived strengths and weaknesses of the program so further development and appropriate services will be provided. Similar studies on the impact of non-profit organizations are encouraged. Vet TRIIP significantly impacts the lives of many through stress and pain reduction, potentially preventing suicide.
Outside the Lyman-break box: detecting Lyman continuum emitters at 3.5 < z < 5.1 with CLAUDS
Authors: Meštrić U , Ryan-Weber E V , Cooke J , Bassett R , Sawicki M , Faisst A L , Kakiichi K , Inoue A K , Rafelski M , Prichard L J , Arnouts S , Moutard T , Coupon J , Golob A , Gwyn S
Published: April 2020

Identifying non-contaminated sample of high-redshift galaxies with escaping Lyman continuum (LyC) flux is important for understanding the sources and evolution of cosmic reionization. We present CLAUDS (CFHT Large Area u-band deep survey) u-band photometry of the COSMOS field to probe LyC radiation from spectroscopically confirmed galaxies at $z$ ≥ 3.5 and outside the standard Lyman-break galaxy colour-selection expectations. Complementary to the CLAUDS data, we use Subaru multifilter photometry, Hubble Space Telescope (HST) multifilter imaging, and the spectroscopic surveys D10K, VUDS, and 3D-HST. We present a sample of Lyman continuum galaxy (LCG) candidates in the redshift range 3.5 ≲ $z$ ≲ 5.1. Here, we introduce 5 LCG candidates, where two are flagged quality 1 and three quality 2. The estimated $f_{\rm esc}^{\rm abs}$ for quality 1 candidates are in the range $\sim 5 - 73{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ and $\sim 30 - 93{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. These estimates are based on our derived parameters from individual galaxies as inputs to a range of BPASS models as well as mean intergalactic medium (IGM) and maximal intergalactic and circumgalactic media (IGM+CGM) transmission. We conclude that our search for LCGs is most likely biased to lines of sight with low H i densities or free from Lyman limit systems. Our two best LCG candidates have EW (Lyα) ≤ 50 Å and we find no correlation or anticorrelation between EW (Lyα), $f_{\rm esc}^{\rm abs}$, and Robs, the ratio of ionizing to non-ionizing observed flux in the measured passbands. Stacking candidates without solid LyC detections (S/N < 3) results in an estimated $f_{\rm esc}^{\rm abs}$ from galaxies not greater than $1{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$.
Simultaneous measurement of biochemical phenotypes and gene expression in single cells
Authors: Richer Amanda L , Riemondy Kent A , Hardie Lakotah , Hesselberth Jay R
Published: April 2020

Methods to measure heterogeneity among cells are rapidly transforming our understanding of biology but are currently limited to molecular abundance measurements. We developed an approach to simultaneously measure biochemical activities and mRNA abundance in single cells to understand the heterogeneity of DNA repair activities across thousands of human lymphocytes, identifying known and novel cell-type-specific DNA repair phenotypes.
A non-canonical promoter element drives spurious transcription of horizontally acquired bacterial genes
Authors: Warman Emily A , Singh Shivani S , Gubieda Alicia G , Grainger David C
Published: April 2020

RNA polymerases initiate transcription at DNA sequences called promoters. In bacteria, the best conserved promoter feature is the AT-rich -10 element; a sequence essential for DNA unwinding. Further elements, and gene regulatory proteins, are needed to recruit RNA polymerase to the -10 sequence. Hence, -10 elements cannot function in isolation. Many horizontally acquired genes also have a high AT-content. Consequently, sequences that resemble the -10 element occur frequently. As a result, foreign genes are predisposed to spurious transcription. However, it is not clear how RNA polymerase initially recognizes such sequences. Here, we identify a non-canonical promoter element that plays a key role. The sequence, itself a short AT-tract, resides 5 base pairs upstream of otherwise cryptic -10 elements. The AT-tract alters DNA conformation and enhances contacts between the DNA backbone and RNA polymerase.
Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging Phenotypes Predict Overall Survival Benefit From Bevacizumab or Surgery in Recurrent Glioblastoma With Large Tumor Burden
Authors: Patel Kunal S , Everson Richard G , Yao Jingwen , Raymond Catalina , Goldman Jodi , Schlossman Jacob , Tsung Joseph , Tan Caleb , Pope Whitney B , Ji Matthew S , Nguyen Nhung T , Lai Albert , Nghiemphu Phioanh L , Liau Linda M , Cloughesy Timothy F , Ellingson Benjamin M
Published: April 2020

Background

Diffusion magnetic resonance (MR) characteristics are a predictive imaging biomarker for survival benefit in recurrent glioblastoma treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy; however, its use in large volume recurrence has not been evaluated.

Objective

To determine if diffusion MR characteristics can predict survival outcomes in patients with large volume recurrent glioblastoma treated with bevacizumab or repeat resection.

Methods

A total of 32 patients with large volume (>20 cc or > 3.4 cm diameter) recurrent glioblastoma treated with bevacizumab and 35 patients treated with repeat surgery were included. Pretreatment tumor volume and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram analysis were used to phenotype patients as having high (>1.24 μm2/ms) or low (<1.24 μm2/ms) ADCL, the mean value of the lower peak in a double Gaussian model of the ADC histogram within the contrast enhancing tumor.

Results

In bevacizumab and surgical cohorts, volume was correlated with overall survival (Bevacizumab: P = .009, HR = 1.02; Surgical: P = .006, HR = 0.96). ADCL was an independent predictor of survival in the bevacizumab cohort (P = .049, HR = 0.44), but not the surgical cohort (P = .273, HR = 0.67). There was a survival advantage of surgery over bevacizumab in patients with low ADCL (P = .036, HR = 0.43) but not in patients with high ADCL (P = .284, HR = 0.69).

Conclusion

Pretreatment diffusion MR imaging is an independent predictive biomarker for overall survival in recurrent glioblastoma with a large tumor burden. Large tumors with low ADCL have a survival benefit when treated with surgical resection, whereas large tumors with high ADCL may be best managed with bevacizumab.
Postscript: COVID-19 and the Legal Determinants of Health
Authors: Coggon John , Gostin Lawrence O
Published: April 2020

This is a short postscript to the Public Health Ethics special issue on the legal determinants of health. We reflect briefly on emerging responses to COVID-19, and raise important questions of ethics and law that must be addressed; including through the lens of legal determinants, and with critical attention to what it means to protect health with justice.
Exposure to negative stereotypes influences representations of monetary incentives in the nucleus accumbens
Authors: Welborn B Locke , Hong Youngki , Ratner Kyle G
Published: April 2020

Contemporary society is saturated with negative representations of racial and ethnic minorities. Social science research finds that exposure to such negative stereotypes creates stress above and beyond pre-existing effects of income inequality and structural racism. Neuroscience studies in animals and humans show that life stress modulates brain responses to rewards. However, it is not known whether contending with negative representations of one’s social group spills overs to influence reward processing. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the effects of stigmatizing negative stereotypes on neural responding to the anticipation and consumption of monetary gains and losses in a Mexican American sample. Machine learning analyses indicated that incentive-related patterns of brain activity within the nucleus accumbens differed between Mexican Americans subjected to negative stereotypes and those who were not. This effect occurred for anticipating both gains and losses. Our work suggests that rhetoric stigmatizing Latinos and other minorities could alter how members of such groups process incentives in their environment. These findings contribute to our understanding of the linkage between stigmatizing experiences and motivated behavior, with implications for well-being and health.
Global Fields, Institutional Emergence, and the Regulation of Transnational Corporations
Authors: Lim Alwyn
Published: April 2020

World society theory has developed to become a major sociological perspective on globalization, focusing on the diffusion of global institutions and increasingly on the domestic impact of those institutions. Nevertheless, the emergence of global institutions has received less attention, raising questions about whether core elements of world society—institutional structures, actorhood, legitimacy—are sufficient to also explain how global institutions arise. This article proposes a “global fields” approach in which institutional emergence is conditional on the interaction between state and non-state actors around the exercise of international authority. Using archival United Nations (UN) data, I demonstrate this field approach through an historical review of global efforts in the UN to build a framework for the regulation of transnational corporations. In the 1970s, developing countries mobilized around a New International Economic Order, arguing that regulating foreign investment would contribute to economic justice. These efforts failed to establish a new globalization because state actors mobilized around national interests, state power, and centralized hierarchical regulation. Subsequently, in the 1990s, non-state actors were more successful in establishing the Global Compact, a global framework for corporate social responsibility, as they emphasized transcendent purposes, voluntarism, and collaboration. This case demonstrates the utility of a global fields approach to institutional emergence by highlighting the importance of how global fields structure interests, participation, strategies, and outcomes in global processes. The article concludes by discussing the theoretical implications of a global fields approach for the world society perspective and studies of the origins of global processes.
High Parental Anxiety Increases Narcotic Use in Adolescent Patients Following Spinal Fusion
Authors: Sarkisova Natalya , Andras Lindsay M. , Yang Joshua , Tolo Vernon T. , Skaggs David L.
Published: April 2020

Background:

Parental mental status and behavior may influence postoperative recovery and the use of pain medication. The purpose of this study is to identify if parents with high anxiety are associated with prolonged narcotic use in adolescent patients following posterior spinal fusion surgery. Prolonged narcotic use in this study was defined as opioid use at their first postoperative visit.

Methods:

AIS patients age 11 to 20 years undergoing posterior spinal fusion and a parent were prospectively enrolled. At the preoperative appointment, patients completed the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale and parents completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. High parental anxiety was defined as 1 SD above the normative mean. At the first postoperative visit, patients were asked about medication use.

Results:

A total of 58 patients (49 females and 9 males) were enrolled. Overall, 29% (17/58) of parents had a high general anxiety trait on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and 71% (41/58) had normal general anxiety. Of the patients whose parents had high general anxiety, 47% (8/17) were still taking narcotics at their first postoperative visit compared with 20% (8/41) of patients with normal anxiety parents (P=0.03).

Conclusions:

Patients with high general anxiety parents were more than twice as likely to still be on narcotics at their first postoperative visit. This information can be used to counsel families on the impact of anxiety on narcotic usage.

Level of Evidence:

Level II—prognostic studies—investigating the effect of a patient characteristic on the outcome of the disease.
Corona Virus Disease 2019 and Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Authors: Turner Dan , Huang Ying , Martín‐de‐Carpi Javier , Aloi Marina , Focht Gili , Kang Ben , Zhou Ying , Sanchez Cesar , Kappelman Michael D. , Uhlig Holm H. , Pujol‐Muncunill Gemma , Ledder Oren , Lionetti Paolo , Dias Jorge Amil , Ruemmele Frank M. , Russell Richard K. ,   Paediatric IBD Porto group of ESPGHAN
Published: April 2020

Introduction:

With the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, concerns have been raised about the risk to children with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). We aimed to collate global experience and provide provisional guidance for managing paediatric IBD (PIBD) in the era of COVID‐19.

Methods:

An electronic reporting system of children with IBD infected with SARS‐CoV‐2 has been circulated among 102 PIBD centres affiliated with the Porto and Interest‐group of ESPGHAN. A survey has been completed by major PIBD centres in China and South‐Korea to explore management during the pandemic. A third survey collected current practice of PIBD treatment. Finally, guidance points for practice have been formulated and voted upon by 37 PIBD authors and Porto group members.

Results:

Eight PIBD children had COVID‐19 globally, all with mild infection without needing hospitalization despite treatment with immunomodulators and/or biologics. No cases have been reported in China and South Korea but biologic treatment has been delayed in 79 children, of whom 17 (22%) had exacerbation of their IBD. Among the Porto group members, face‐to‐face appointments were often replaced by remote consultations but almost all did not change current IBD treatment. Ten guidance points for clinicians caring for PIBD patients in epidemic areas have been endorsed with consensus rate of 92% to 100%.

Conclusions:

Preliminary data for PIBD patients during COVID‐19 outbreak are reassuring. Standard IBD treatments including biologics should continue at present through the pandemic, especially in children who generally have more severe IBD course on one hand, and milder SARS‐CoV‐2 infection on the other.

Supplemental digital content:

An infographic accompanying this article can be found at http://links.lww.com/MPG/B842.
End of Life Care's Ongoing Evolution
Authors: Fink-Samnick Ellen
Published: April 2020

Purpose/Objectives:

This article will focus on the following objectives specific to end-of-life care for professional case management:

Primary Practice Settings:

Applicable to all settings across the transitions of care where case management practice occurs.

Findings/Conclusions:

Continuing shifts in society's cultural landscape, ongoing emphasis on value versus volume, and other industry fiscal imperatives continue to evoke an evolution in end-of-life care. The attainment of successful outcomes by professional case managers with those populations will be dependent on awareness and comprehension of regulations, legislation, and reimbursement; the influences of ongoing industry trends; availability of emerging resources; and ongoing technological advances. Ethical excellence remains at the core of case management across the interprofessional workforce and the transitions of care.

Implications for Case Management Practice:

The professional case management workforce is tasked to effectively intervene across diverse client populations, with their caregivers and support systems. This action spans every life stage and illness course. With end-of-life care treatment and processes continuing to receive prime industry attention, case managers must be knowledgeable of the moving parts of this arena. Awareness of the ethical edges of each professional's sandbox is essential to quality-driven case management practice.
Long-term Outcomes and Survival in Moderate-severe Portopulmonary Hypertension After Liver Transplant
Authors: Sadd Corey J. , Osman Fauzia , Li Zhanhai , Chybowski Amy , Decker Catherine , Henderson Bruce , Goss Kara N. , Hammel Laura L. , Runo James R.
Published: April 2020

Background.

Portopulmonary hypertension is present in an estimated 5.3% to 8.5% of liver transplant candidates. Untreated, 5-year survival is estimated between 14% and 28%. Moderate-severe disease is a contraindication to liver transplant due to the high perioperative mortality, but patients optimized with pulmonary vasodilator therapy can become eligible for transplant. There is minimal data regarding posttransplant outcomes and ability to discontinue pulmonary vasodilator therapy posttransplant.

Methods.

We performed a single-center retrospective analysis to evaluate long-term outcomes of patients with moderate-severe portopulmonary hypertension who were optimized with pulmonary vasodilator therapy, became eligible for liver transplant, and subsequently underwent transplant. We identified 24 patients optimized with pulmonary vasodilator therapy who underwent subsequent liver transplantation and 25 patients who were treated with pulmonary vasodilator therapy alone.

Results.

In the transplanted cohort, 1-year survival from portopulmonary hypertension diagnosis date: 95.8%, 3-year survival: 90.9%, and 5-year survival: 90.9%. Posttransplant; 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival was 86.9%. Among transplanted patients, 41.6% (10/24) were optimized with nonparenteral therapy. Following transplantation, 100% (14/14) of the surviving patients were able to discontinue parenteral therapy; median time: 7.2 months (interquartile range: 5.1–8.9 mo), while 61.9% (13/21) were able to discontinue pulmonary vasodilator therapy altogether; median time: 13.9 months (interquartile range: 5.1–17.6 mo).

Conclusions.

Patients who are optimized with pulmonary vasodilator therapy before liver transplant can have excellent long-term outcomes posttransplant. Oral pulmonary vasodilator therapy can be effective treatment to qualify a patient for transplant, and the majority are able to wean from pulmonary vasodilator therapy entirely posttransplant.
Interleukin-6: An Important Mediator of Allograft Injury
Authors: Jordan Stanley C. , Ammerman Noriko , Choi Jua , Kumar Sanjeev , Huang Edmund , Toyoda Mieko , Kim Irene , Wu Gordon , Vo Ashley
Published: April 2020

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine with critical innate and adaptive immunity functions. Its diverse immunological and physiological actions include direction of immune cell differentiation, initial response to invading pathogens and ischemic injury, sustained plasma cell growth, and immunoglobulin production. IL-6 transcriptional dysregulation is commonly seen in patients with autoimmune or inflammatory disorders. Emerging information suggests that IL-6 transcription is upregulated in patients with kidney and heart transplant rejection and may account for perpetuation of inflammatory responses in the allograft, leading to allograft rejection and vasculopathy. IL-6–directed therapeutics include monoclonal antibodies directed at IL-6, the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), and Janus kinase inhibitors. IL-6–mediated signaling to cell targets is unique, involving classic signaling (IL-6->IL-6R) cell membrane receptors, transsignaling (IL-6->soluble IL-6R->gp130) which activates any cell, and the recently discovered IL-6/IL-6R transpresentation in which antigen-presenting cells synthesize and express IL-6/IL-6R complexes, which are transported through the cell membrane subsequently interacting with gp130 to costimulate T cells. Currently, there are new trials in autoimmunity and heart and kidney transplantation to determine effectiveness of inhibiting IL-6/IL-6R to ameliorate chronic allograft rejection and coronary allograft vasculopathy. Therapeutic trials aimed at prevention of ischemia/reperfusion injury to allografts based on animal data should be considered.
Not All That Flickers Is Snow
Authors: Patel Rachel C. , Vitale Albert T. , Creel Donnell J. , Digre Kathleen B.
Published: April 2020

A woman presented with bilateral visual disturbances that had been diagnosed as visual snow. Dilated ophthalmic examination and multimodal imaging were strongly suggestive of birdshot chorioretinopathy, meriting initiation of systemic immunomodulatory therapy. Visual snow requires a thorough ophthalmologic exam to exclude other ocular diseases.
How lethal is the novel coronavirus, and how many undetected cases there are? The importance of being tested
Authors: Bastolla Ugo
Published: April 2020

There is big concern for estimating the lethality and the extent of undetected infections associated with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2 outbreak. While detailed epidemiological models are certainly needed, I suggest here an orthogonal approach based on a minimum number of parameters robustly fitted from the cumulative data easily accessible for all countries at the John Hopkins University database that became the worldwide reference for the pandemics. I show that, after few days from the beginning of the outbreak, the apparent death rate can be extrapolated to infinite time through regularized regression such as rescaled ridge regression. The variation from country to country of these extrapolated death rates appears to depend almost only (r2 = 0.91) on the ratio between performed tests and detected cases even when the apparent instantaneous lethality rates are as different as 9% in Italy and 0.4% in Germany. Extrapolating to the limit of infinite number of tests, I obtain a death rate of 0.012 ± 0.012, in agreement with other estimates. The inverse relationship between the extrapolated death rate and the intensity tests allows estimating that more than 50% of cases were undetected in most countries, with more than 90% undetected cases in countries severely hit by the epidemics such as Italy. Finally, I propose to adopt the ratio between the cumulative number of recovered and deceased persons as an indicator that can anticipate the halting of the epidemics.
Azithromycin and ciprofloxacin have a chloroquine-like effect on respiratory epithelial cells
Authors: Poschet Jens F. , Perkett Elizabeth A. , Timmins Graham S. , Deretic Vojo
Published: April 2020

There is interest in the use of chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine (CQ/HCQ) and azithromycin (AZT) in COVID-19 therapy. Employing cystic fibrosis respiratory epithelial cells, here we show that drugs AZT and ciprofloxacin (CPX) act as acidotropic lipophilic weak bases and confer in vitro effects on intracellular organelles similar to the effects of CQ. These seemingly disparate FDA-approved antimicrobials display a common property of modulating pH of endosomes and trans-Golgi network. We believe this may in part help understand the potentially beneficial effects of CQ/HCQ and AZT in COVID-19, and that the present considerations of HCQ and AZT for clinical trials should be extended to CPX.
Detection of Air and Surface Contamination by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Hospital Rooms of Infected Patients
Authors: Chia Po Ying , Coleman Kristen Kelli , Tan Yian Kim , Xiang Ong Sean Wei , Gum Marcus , Lau Sok Kiang , Sutjipto Stephanie , Lee Pei Hua , Son Than The , Young Barnaby Edward , Milton Donald K. , Gray Gregory C. , Schuster Stephan , Barkham Timothy , De Partha Prathim , Vasoo Shawn , Chan Monica , Peng Ang Brenda Sze , Tan Boon Huan , Leo Yee-Sin , Ng Oon-Tek , Yen Wong Michelle Su , Marimuthu Kalisvar
Published: April 2020

Understanding the particle size distribution in the air and patterns of environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 is essential for infection prevention policies. We aimed to detect SARS-CoV-2 surface and air contamination and study associated patient-level factors. 245 surface samples were collected from 30 airborne infection isolation rooms of COVID-19 patients, and air sampling was conducted in 3 rooms.

Air sampling detected SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive particles of sizes >4 µm and 1-4 µm in two rooms, which warrants further study of the airborne transmission potential of SARS-CoV-2. 56.7% of rooms had at least one environmental surface contaminated. High touch surface contamination was shown in ten (66.7%) out of 15 patients in the first week of illness, and three (20%) beyond the first week of illness (p = 0.010).
COVID-19, City Lockdowns, and Air Pollution: Evidence from China
Authors: He Guojun , Pan Yuhang , Tanaka Takanao
Published: April 2020

The rapid spread of COVID-19 is a global public health challenge. To prevent the escalation of its transmission, China locked down one-third of its cities and strictly restricted personal mobility and economic activities. Using timely and comprehensive air quality data in China, we show that these counter-COVID-19 measures led to a remarkable improvement in air quality. Within weeks, the Air Quality Index and PM2.5 concentrations were brought down by 25%. The effects are larger in colder, richer, and more industrialized cities. We estimate that such improvement would avert 24,000 to 36,000 premature deaths from air pollution on a monthly basis.
Global trends in air travel: implications for connectivity and resilience to infectious disease threats
Authors: Tuite Ashleigh R. , Bhatia Deepit , Moineddin Rahim , Bogoch Isaac I. , Watts Alexander G. , Khan Kamran
Published: April 2020

Background

Increased connectivity via air travel can facilitate the geographic spread of infectious diseases. The number of travelers alone does not explain risk; passenger origin and destination will also influence risk of disease introduction and spread. We described trends in international air passenger numbers and connectivity between countries with different capacities to detect and respond to infectious disease threats.

Methods

We used the Fragile States Index (FSI) as an annual measure of country-level resilience and capacity to respond to infectious disease events. Countries are categorized as: Sustainable, Stable, Warning, or Alert, in order of increasing fragility. We included data for 177 sovereign states for the years 2007 to 2016. Annual inbound and outbound international air passengers for each country were obtained for the same time period. We examined trends in FSI score, trends in worldwide air travel, and the association between a state’s FSI score and air travel.

Results

Among countries included in the FSI rankings, the total number of passengers increased from 0.791 billion to 1.28 billion between 2007 and 2016. Increasing fragility was associated with a decrease in travel volumes, with a 2.9% (95% CI: 2.3-3.5%) reduction in passengers per 1-unit increase in FSI score. Overall, travel between countries of different FSI categories either increased or remained stable. The greatest increase was observed for travel to Warning countries from Warning countries, with an annual increase of 8,967,623 passengers (95%CI: 6,546,494 to 11,388,753) over the study period.

Conclusions

The world’s connectivity via air travel has increased dramatically over the past decade. There has been notable growth in travel from Warning and Stable countries, which comprise more than three-quarters of international air travel passengers. These countries may have suboptimal capacity to detect and respond to infectious disease threats that emerge within their borders.
Revealing the functions of supra-temporal and insular auditory responsive areas in humans
Authors: Wang Qian , Luo Lu , Xu Na , Wang Jing , Gao Yayue , Li Siqi , Wang Mengyang , Teng Pengfei , Guan Yuguang , Zhou Jian , Li Tianfu , Tian Xing , Luan Guoming
Published: April 2020

The human auditory sensory area, which includes primary and non-primary auditory cortices, has been considered to locate in the supra-temporal lobe for more than a century. Recently, accumulating evidence shows that the posterior part of insula responses to sounds under non-task states with relevant short latencies. However, whether posterior insula (InsP) contribute to forming auditory sensation remains unclear. Here we addressed this issue by recording and stimulation directly on the supra-temporal and insular areas via intracranial electrodes from 53 epileptic patients. During passive listening to a non-speech sound, the high-γ (60-140 Hz) active rate of InsP (68.8%) was approximate to the non-primary auditory areas (72.4% and 79.0%). Moreover, we could not distinguish InsP from supra-temporal subareas by either activation, latency, temporal pattern or lateral dominance of sound induce high-γ. On the contrary, direct electrical stimulation evoked auditory sensations effectively on supra-temporal subareas (> 65%), while sparsely on InsP (9.49%). The results of cortico-cortical evoked potentials (CCEPs) showed strong bidirectional connectivity within supra-temporal areas, but weak connectivity between supra-temporal areas and InsP. These findings suggest that even the InsP has similar basic auditory response properties to the primary or non-primary cortex, it may not directly participate in the formation of auditory perception.