bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selection of GmSWEET39 for oil and protein improvement in soybean
Authors: Zhang Hengyou , Goettel Wolfgang , Song Qijian , Jiang He , Hu Zhenbin , Wang Ming Li , An Yong-qiang Charles
Published: November 2020

Soybean [Glycine max(L.) Merr.] was domesticated from wild soybean (G.sojaSieb. and Zucc.) and has been further improved as a dual-use seed crop to provide highly valuable oil and protein for food, feed, and industrial applications. However, the underlying genetic and molecular basis remains less understood. Having combined high-confidence bi-parental linkage mapping with high-resolution association analysis based on 631 whole sequenced genomes, we mapped major soybean protein and oil QTLs on chromosome15 to a sugar transporter gene (GmSWEET39). A two-nucleotide CC deletion truncating C-terminus ofGmSWEET39was strongly associated with high seed oil and low seed protein, suggesting its pleiotropic effect on protein and oil content.GmSWEET39was predominantly expressed in parenchyma and integument of the seed coat, and likely regulates oil and protein accumulation by affecting sugar delivery from maternal seed coat to the filial embryo. We demonstrated thatGmSWEET39has a dual function for both oil and protein improvement and undergoes two different paths of artificial selection. A CC deletion (CC-) haplotype H1 has been intensively selected during domestication and extensively used in soybean improvement worldwide. H1 is fixed in North American soybean cultivars. The protein-favored (CC+) haplotype H3 still undergoes ongoing selection, reflecting its sustainable role for soybean protein improvement. The comprehensive knowledge on the molecular basis underlying the major QTL andGmSWEET39haplotypes associated with soybean improvement would be valuable to design new strategies for soybean seed quality improvement using molecular breeding and biotechnological approaches.
Sample pooling methods for efficient pathogen screening: Practical implications
Authors: Furstenau Tara N. , Cocking Jill H. , Hepp Crystal M. , Fofanov Viacheslav Y.
Published: November 2020

Due to the large number of negative tests, individually screening large populations for rare pathogens can be wasteful and expensive. Sample pooling methods improve the efficiency of large-scale pathogen screening campaigns by reducing the number of tests and reagents required to accurately categorize positive and negative individuals. Such methods rely on group testing theory which mainly focuses on minimizing the total number of tests; however, many other practical concerns and tradeoffs must be considered when choosing an appropriate method for a given set of circumstances. Here we use computational simulations to determine how several theoretical approaches compare in terms of (a) the number of tests, to minimize costs and save reagents, (b) the number of sequential steps, to reduce the time it takes to complete the assay, (c) the number of samples per pool, to avoid the limits of detection, (d) simplicity, to reduce the risk of human error, and (e) robustness, to poor estimates of the number of positive samples. We found that established methods often perform very well in one area but very poorly in others. Therefore, we introduce and validate a new method which performs fairly well across each of the above criteria making it a good general use approach.
Rapture facilitates inexpensive and high-throughput parent-based tagging in salmonids
Authors: Pepping Michelle Y. , O’Rourke Sean M. , Huang Connie , Katz Jacob V. E. , Jeffres Carson , Miller Michael R.
Published: November 2020

Accurate methods for tracking individuals are crucial to the success of fisheries and aquaculture management. Management of migratory salmonid populations, which are important for the health of many economies, ecosystems, and indigenous cultures, is particularly dependent on data gathered from tagged fish. However, the physical tagging methods currently used have many challenges including cost, variable marker retention, and information limited to tagged individuals. Genetic tracking methods combat many of the problems associated with physical tags, but have their own challenges including high cost, potentially difficult marker design, and incompatibility of markers across species. Here we show the feasibility of a new genotyping method for parent-based tagging (PBT), where individuals are tracked through the inherent genetic relationships with their parents. We found that Rapture sequencing, a combination of restriction-site associated DNA and capture sequencing, provides sufficient data for parentage assignment. Additionally, the same capture bait set, which targets specific restriction-site associated DNA loci, can be used for both Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. We input 248 single nucleotide polymorphisms from 1,121 samples to parentage assignment software and compared parent-offspring relationships of the spawning pairs recorded in a hatchery. Interestingly, our results suggest sperm contamination during hatchery spawning occurred in the production of 14% of offspring, further confirming the need for genetic tagging in accurately tracking individuals. PBT with Rapture successfully assigned progeny to parents with a 98.86% accuracy with sufficient genetic data. Cost for this pilot study was approximately $3 USD per sample. As costs vary based on the number of markers used and individuals sequenced, we expect that when implemented at a large-scale, per sample costs could be further decreased. We conclude that Rapture PBT provides a cost-effective and accurate alternative to the physical coded wire tags, and other genetic-based methods.
Lower abdominal and pelvic radiation and testicular germ cell tumor risk
Authors: Nead Kevin T. , Mitra Nandita , Weathers Benita , Pyle Louisa , Emechebe Nnadozie , Pucci Donna A. , Jacobs Linda A. , Vaughn David J. , Nathanson Katherine L. , Kanetsky Peter A.
Published: November 2020

Background

Testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) incidence has increased in recent decades along with the use and dose of diagnostic radiation. Here we examine the association between reported exposure to diagnostic radiation and TGCT risk.

Methods

We conducted a case-control study of men with and without TGCT recruited from hospital- and population-based settings. Participants reported on exposures to 1) x-ray or CT below the waist and 2) lower GI series or barium enema, which consists of a series of x-rays of the colon. We also derived a combined measure of exposure. We used logistic regression to determine the risk of developing TGCT according to categories of exposures (0, 1–2, or ≥3 exposures) and age at first exposure, adjusting for age, year of birth, race, county, body mass index at diagnosis, family history of TGCT, and personal history of cryptorchidism.

Results

There were 315 men with TGCT and 931 men without TGCT in our study. Compared to no exposures, risk of TGCT was significantly elevated among those reporting at least three exposures to x-ray or CT (OR≥3 exposures, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.15–2.76; p = 0.010), lower GI series or barium enema (OR≥3 exposures, 4.58; 95% CI, 2.39–8.76; p<0.001), and the combined exposure variable (OR≥3 exposures, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.05–2.42; p = 0.029). The risk of TGCT was elevated for those exposed to diagnostic radiation at age 0–10 years, compared to those first exposed at age 18 years or later, although this association did not reach statistical significance (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 0.91–4.42; p = 0.086).

Conclusions

Exposure to diagnostic radiation below the waist may increase TGCT risk. If these results are validated, efforts to reduce diagnostic radiation doses to the testes should be prioritized.
Labelling affects agreement with political statements of right-wing populist parties
Authors: Neumann Henrike , Thielmann Isabel , Pfattheicher Stefan
Published: November 2020

In light of the recent rise of right-wing populist parties across Europe, it is an intriguing question under which conditions people agree with right-wing political statements. The present study investigates whether mere labelling of political statements as endorsed by a right-wing populist party influences people’s agreement with such statements. In the study (pre-registered; N = 221 German voters), it is shown than that supporters of the right-wing populist party indicated higher agreement with the statements when they were labelled as being endorsed by the party (vs. not labelled), whereas non-supporters indicated lower agreement with the labelled than with the non-labelled statements. We conclude that labelling of the very same political statements changes voters’ agreement with these statements. The results imply that rather than (dis)agreeing with the content of the statements per se, people may (dis)agree with right-wing populist statements because they come from a specific source (i.e., the right-wing populist party).
Inhibition of transforming growth factor-β signaling in myeloid cells ameliorates aortic aneurysmal formation in Marfan syndrome
Authors: Hara Hironori , Maemura Sonoko , Fujiwara Takayuki , Takeda Norifumi , Ishii Satoshi , Yagi Hiroki , Suzuki Takaaki , Harada Mutsuo , Toko Haruhiro , Kanaya Tsubasa , Ijichi Hideaki , Moses Harold L. , Takimoto Eiki , Morita Hiroyuki , Akazawa Hiroshi , Komuro Issei
Published: November 2020

Increased transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling contributes to the pathophysiology of aortic aneurysm in Marfan syndrome (MFS). Recent reports indicate that a small but significant number of inflammatory cells are infiltrated into the aortic media and adventitia in MFS. However, little is known about the contribution of myeloid cells to aortic aneurysmal formation. In this study, we ablated the TGF-β type II receptor geneTgfbr2in myeloid cells ofFbn1C1039G/+MFS mice (Fbn1C1039G/+;LysM-Cre/+;Tgfbr2fl/flmice, hereinafter calledFbn1C1039G/+;Tgfbr2MyeKO) and evaluated macrophage infiltration and TGF-β signaling in the aorta. Aneurysmal formation with fragmentation and disarray of medial elastic fibers observed in MFS mice was significantly ameliorated inFbn1C1039G/+;Tgfbr2MyeKOmice. In the aorta ofFbn1C1039G/+;Tgfbr2MyeKOmice, both canonical and noncanonical TGF-β signals were attenuated and the number of infiltrated F4/80-positive macrophages was significantly reduced.In vitro, TGF-β enhanced the migration capacity of RAW264.7 macrophages. These findings suggest that TGF-β signaling in myeloid cells promotes aortic aneurysmal formation and its inhibition might be a novel therapeutic target in MFS.
High density genotype storage for plant breeding in the Chado schema of Breedbase
Authors: Morales Nicolas , Bauchet Guillaume J. , Tantikanjana Titima , Powell Adrian F. , Ellerbrock Bryan J. , Tecle Isaak Y. , Mueller Lukas A.
Published: November 2020

Modern breeding programs routinely use genome-wide information for selecting individuals to advance. The large volumes of genotypic information required present a challenge for data storage and query efficiency. Major use cases require genotyping data to be linked with trait phenotyping data. In contrast to phenotyping data that are often stored in relational database schemas, next-generation genotyping data are traditionally stored in non-relational storage systems due to their extremely large scope. This study presents a novel data model implemented in Breedbase (https://breedbase.org/) for uniting relational phenotyping data and non-relational genotyping data within the open-source PostgreSQL database engine. Breedbase is an open-source, web-database designed to manage all of a breeder’s informatics needs: management of field experiments, phenotypic and genotypic data collection and storage, and statistical analyses. The genotyping data is stored in a PostgreSQL data-type known as binary JavaScript Object Notation (JSONb), where the JSON structures closely follow the Variant Call Format (VCF) data model. The Breedbase genotyping data model can handle different ploidy levels, structural variants, and any genotype encoded in VCF. JSONb is both compressed and indexed, resulting in a space and time efficient system. Furthermore, file caching maximizes data retrieval performance. Integration of all breeding data within the Chado database schema retains referential integrity that may be lost when genotyping and phenotyping data are stored in separate systems. Benchmarking demonstrates that the system is fast enough for computation of a genomic relationship matrix (GRM) and genome wide association study (GWAS) for datasets involving 1,325 diploid Zea mays, 314 triploid Musa acuminata, and 924 diploid Manihot esculenta samples genotyped with 955,690, 142,119, and 287,952 genotype-by-sequencing (GBS) markers, respectively.
Trends in disease-free life expectancy at age 65 in Spain: Diverging patterns by sex, region and disease
Authors: Zueras Pilar , Rentería Elisenda
Published: November 2020

Life expectancy in Spain is among the highest in the world. Nevertheless, we do not know if improvements in health conditions at older ages have followed postponements of death. Previous studies in Spain show a stable trend in years lived in ill health in the past. In this paper we investigate changes between 2006, 2012 and 2017 in life expectancy with and without disease at age 65 in Spain and, for the first time, in Spanish regions, which have autonomous powers of health planning, public health and healthcare. Results show that, at the country level, disease-free life expectancy reduced between 2006 and 2017 in Spain. This was explained by an expansion of most diseases except for some cardiovascular and respiratory chronic conditions. However, at the regional level the evolution was different, especially regarding each disease and sex. First, regional differences reduced between 2006 and 2012 but largely widened in 2017, suggesting that not all regions had the same ability to recover after the 2008 financial crisis that caused government cuts to health services. Second, regional analysis also highlighted diverging trends by sex. While men experienced expansion of morbidity in most regions, women experienced a compression in about half of them, ending up with women showing higher disease-free life expectancies than men in 9 out of the 17 regions considered. This study, then, calls attention to the importance of focusing the analysis of health surveillance to more disaggregated levels, more in accordance with the level of health management, as regional trends showed heterogeneity in the prevalence of diseases and different progresses in the relationship between sexes.
The masked seducers: Lek courtship behavior in the wrinkle-faced bat Centurio senex (Phyllostomidae)
Authors: Rodríguez-Herrera Bernal , Sánchez-Calderón Ricardo , Madrigal-Elizondo Victor , Rodríguez Paulina , Villalobos Jairo , Hernández Esteban , Zamora-Mejías Daniel , Gessinger Gloria , Tschapka Marco
Published: November 2020

Centurio senexis an iconic bat characterized by a facial morphology deviating far from all other New World Leaf Nosed Bats (Phyllostomidae). The species has a bizarrely wrinkled face and lacks the characteristic nose leaf. Throughout its distribution from Mexico to Northern South America the species is most of the time rarely captured and only scarce information on its behavior and natural history is available.Centurio senexis frugivorous and one of the few bats documented to consume also hard seeds. Interestingly, the species shows a distinct sexual dimorphism: Adult males have more pronounced facial wrinkles than females and a fold of skin under the chin that can be raised in style of a face mask. We report the first observations on echolocation and mating behavior ofCenturio senex, including synchronized audio and video recordings from an aggregation of males in Costa Rica. Over a period of 6 weeks we located a total of 53 perches, where during the first half of the night males were hanging with raised facial masks at a mean height of 2.35 m. Most of the time, the males moved just their wing tips, and spontaneously vocalized in the ultrasound range. Approaches of other individuals resulted in the perching male beating its wings and emitting a very loud, low frequency whistling call. Following such an encounter we recorded a copulation event. The observed aggregation of adultC.senexmales is consistent with lek courtship, a behavior described from only few other bat species.
Phaeomelanin matters: Redness associates with inter-individual differences in behaviour and feather corticosterone in male scops owls (Otus scops)
Authors: Cruz-Miralles Ángel , Avilés Jesús M. , Chastel Olivier , Expósito-Granados Mónica , Parejo Deseada
Published: November 2020

Individuals within populations often show consistent variation in behavioural and physiological traits which are frequently inter-correlated, potentially leading to phenotypic integration. Understanding the mechanisms behind such integration is a key task in evolutionary ecology, and melanin based colouration has been suggested to play a pivotal role. In birds, most of plumage colour variation is determined by two types of melanin, eumelanin and phaeomelanin, but the role of phaeomelanin in avian phenotype integration has been barely investigated. Here, we test for covariation between phaeomelanin-based colouration, behavioural traits (i.e. nest territoriality, aggressiveness, breath rate and parental behaviour) and corticosterone in feathers in the polymorphic scops owl Otus scops, a bird species in which more phaeomelanic individuals display reddish colourations. In males, we observed that reddish males took longer to return to their nests and showed higher levels of feather CORT than more greyish ones. Behaviour and feather CORT were not associated to plumage colour in females. The found associations between redness, behaviour and feather CORT in males, but not in females, might suggest the existence of a sex-specific integrated phaeomelanic phenotype in scops owls.
Expression of signal-transducing adaptor protein-1 attenuates experimental autoimmune hepatitis via down-regulating activation and homeostasis of invariant natural killer T cells
Authors: Kashiwakura Jun-ichi , Saitoh Kodai , Ihara Takeru , Sasaki Yuto , Kagohashi Kota , Enohara Shiyo , Morioka Yuka , Watarai Hiroshi , Muromoto Ryuta , Kitai Yuichi , Iwabuchi Kazuya , Oritani Kenji , Matsuda Tadashi
Published: November 2020

Objective

Signal-transducing adaptor protein (STAP) family members function as adaptor molecules and are involved in several events during immune responses. Notably however, the biological functions of STAP-1 in other cells are not known. We aimed to investigate the functions of STAP-1 in invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells and iNKT cell-dependent hepatitis.

Methods

We employed concanavalin A (Con A)-induced hepatitis and α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer)-induced hepatitis mouse models, both are models of iNKT cell-dependent autoimmune hepatitis, and STAP-1 overexpressing 2E10 cells to investigate the role of STAP-1 in iNKT cell activation in vivo an in vitro, respectively.

Results

After Con A- or α-GalCer-injection, hepatocyte necrotic areas and plasma alanine aminotransferase elevation were more severe in STAP-1 knockout (S1KO) mice and milder in lymphocyte-specific STAP-1 transgenic (S1Tg) mice, as compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Two events that may be related to Con A-induced and/or α-GalCer-induced hepatitis were influenced by STAP-1 manipulation. One is that iNKT cell populations in the livers and spleens were increased in S1KO mice and were decreased in S1Tg mice. The other is that Con A-induced interleukin-4 and interferon-γ production was attenuated by STAP-1 overexpression. These effects of STAP-1 were confirmed using 2E10 cells overexpressing STAP-1 that showed impairment of interleukin-4 and interferon-γ production as well as phosphorylation of Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinases in response to Con A stimulation.

Conclusions

These results conclude that STAP-1 regulates iNKT cell maintenance/activation, and is involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune hepatitis.
High CSF thrombin concentration and activity is associated with an unfavorable outcome in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage
Authors: Krenzlin Harald , Frenz Christina , Schmitt Jan , Masomi-Bornwasser Julia , Wesp Dominik , Kalasauskas Darius , Kerz Thomas , Lotz Johannes , Alessandri Beat , Ringel Florian , Keric Naureen
Published: November 2020

Background

The cerebral thrombin system is activated in the early stage after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Expression of thrombin leads to concentration dependent secondary neuronal damage and detrimental neurological outcome. In this study we aimed to investigate the impact of thrombin concentration and activity in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with ICH on clinical outcome.

Methods

Patients presenting with space-occupying lobar supratentorial hemorrhage requiring extra-ventricular drainage (EVD) were included in our study. The CSF levels of thrombin, its precursor prothrombin and the Thrombin-Antithrombin complex (TAT) were measured using enzyme linked immune sorbent assays (ELISA). The oxidative stress marker Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was assessed in CSF. Initial clot size and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) volume was calculated based on by computerized tomography (CT) upon admission to our hospital. Demographic data, clinical status at admission and neurological outcome were assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 6-weeks and 6-month after ICH.

Results

Twenty-two consecutive patients (9 females, 11 males) with supratentorial hemorrhage were included in this study. CSF concentrations of prothrombin (p < 0.005), thrombin (p = 0.005) and TAT (p = 0.046) were statistical significantly different in patients with ICH compared to non-hemorrhagic CSF samples. CSF concentrations of thrombin 24h after ICH correlated with the mRS index after 6 weeks (r2 = 0.73; < 0.005) and 6 months (r2 = 0.63; < 0.005) after discharge from hospital. Thrombin activity, measured via TAT as surrogate parameter of coagulation, likewise correlated with the mRS at 6 weeks (r2 = 0.54; < 0.01) and 6 months (r2 = 0.66; < 0.04). High thrombin concentrations coincide with higher SOD levels 24h after ICH (p = 0.01).

Conclusion

In this study we found that initial thrombin concentration and activity in CSF of ICH patients did not correlate with ICH and IVH volume but are associated with a poorer functional neurological outcome. These findings support mounting evidence of the role of thrombin as a contributor to secondary injury formation after ICH.
A laboratory investigation into features of morphology and physiology for their potential to predict reproductive success in male frogs
Authors: Orton Frances , Svanholm Sofie , Jansson Erika , Carlsson Ylva , Eriksson Andreas , Uren Webster Tamsyn , McMillan Tamara , Leishman Martin , Verbruggen Bas , Economou Theo , Tyler Charles R. , Berg Cecilia
Published: November 2020

Amphibian populations are declining globally, however, the contribution of reduced reproduction to declines is unknown. We investigated associations between morphological (weight/snout-vent length, nuptial pad colour/size, forelimb width/size) and physiological (nuptial pad/testis histomorphology, plasma hormones, gene expression) features with reproductive success in males as measured by amplexus success and fertility rate (% eggs fertilised) in laboratory maintainedSilurana/Xenopus tropicalis. We explored the robustness of these features to predict amplexus success/fertility rate by investigating these associations within a sub-set of frogs exposed to anti-androgens (flutamide (50 μg/L)/linuron (9 or 45 μg/L)). In unexposed males, nuptial pad features (size/colour/number of hooks/androgen receptor mRNA) were positively associated with amplexus success, but not with fertility rate. In exposed males, many of the associations with amplexus success differed from untreated animals (they were either reversed or absent). In the exposed males forelimb width/nuptial pad morphology were also associated with fertility rate. However, a more darkly coloured nuptial pad was positively associated with amplexus success across all groups and was indicative of androgen status. Our findings demonstrate the central role for nuptial pad morphology in reproductive success inS.tropicalis, however, the lack of concordance between unexposed/exposed frogs complicates understanding of the utility of features of nuptial pad morphology as biomarkers in wild populations. In conclusion, our work has indicated that nuptial pad and forelimb morphology have potential for development as biomarkers of reproductive health in wild anurans, however, further research is needed to establish this.
Biting rhythm and demographic attributes of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) females from different urbanized settings in Penang Island, Malaysia under uncontrolled laboratory conditions
Authors: Muhammad Nor Atikah Farhah , Abu Kassim Nur Faeza , Ab Majid Abdul Hafiz , Abd Rahman Azimah , Dieng Hamady , Avicor Silas Wintuma
Published: November 2020

Urbanization could potentially modifyAedes albopictus’ecology by changing the dynamics of the species, and affecting their breeding sites due to environmental changes, and thus contribute to dengue outbreaks. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the biting rhythm, fecundity and longevity of adult femaleAe.albopictusin relation to urbanization strata; urban, suburban and rural areas in Penang Island, Malaysia. The experiments were done in comparison to a laboratory strain. Twenty-four hours biting activity of all the mosquito strains showed a clear bimodal biting activity, with morning and evening twilight peaks. The interaction effect between biting time and mosquito strains was not significant. Meanwhile, differences in fecundity among mosquito strains were statistically significant (F(3,442) = 10.559, P < 0.05) with urban areas having higher mean number of eggs (mean = 107.69, standard error = 3.98) than suburban (mean = 94.48, standard error = 5.18), and rural areas (mean = 72.52, standard error = 3.87). Longevity of adult females were significantly higher (F(3,441) = 31.259, P < 0.05) for mosquito strains from urban areas compared to the other strains. These findings would provide crucial information for the planning of control programs in Malaysia, particularly Penang.
Short-time speaker verification with different speaking style utterances
Authors: Mao Hongwei , Shi Yan , Liu Yue , Wei Linqiang , Li Yijie , Long Yanhua
Published: November 2020

In recent years, great progress has been made in the technical aspects of automatic speaker verification (ASV). However, the promotion of ASV technology is still a very challenging issue, because most technologies are still very sensitive to new, unknown and spoofing conditions. Most previous studies focused on extracting target speaker information from natural speech. This paper aims to design a new ASV corpus with multi-speaking styles and investigate the ASV robustness to these different speaking styles. We first release this corpus in the Zenodo website for public research, in which each speaker has several text-dependent and text-independent singing, humming and normal reading speech utterances. Then, we investigate the speaker discrimination of each speaking style in the feature space. Furthermore, the intra and inter-speaker variabilities in each different speaking style and cross-speaking styles are investigated in both text-dependent and text-independent ASV tasks. Conventional Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), and the state-of-the-art x-vector are used to build ASV systems. Experimental results show that the voiceprint information in humming and singing speech are more distinguishable than that in normal reading speech for conventional ASV systems. Furthermore, we find that combing the three speaking styles can significantly improve the x-vector based ASV system, even when only limited gains are obtained by conventional GMM-based systems.
Development and validation of a 30-day mortality index based on pre-existing medical administrative data from 13,323 COVID-19 patients: The Veterans Health Administration COVID-19 (VACO) Index
Authors: King Joseph T. , Yoon James S. , Rentsch Christopher T. , Tate Janet P. , Park Lesley S. , Kidwai-Khan Farah , Skanderson Melissa , Hauser Ronald G. , Jacobson Daniel A. , Erdos Joseph , Cho Kelly , Ramoni Rachel , Gagnon David R. , Justice Amy C.
Published: November 2020

Background

Available COVID-19 mortality indices are limited to acute inpatient data. Using nationwide medical administrative data available prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection from the US Veterans Health Administration (VA), we developed the VA COVID-19 (VACO) 30-day mortality index and validated the index in two independent, prospective samples.

Methods and findings

We reviewed SARS-CoV-2 testing results within the VA between February 8 and August 18, 2020. The sample was split into a development cohort (test positive between March 2 and April 15, 2020), an early validation cohort (test positive between April 16 and May 18, 2020), and a late validation cohort (test positive between May 19 and July 19, 2020). Our logistic regression model in the development cohort considered demographics (age, sex, race/ethnicity), and pre-existing medical conditions and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) derived from ICD-10 diagnosis codes. Weights were fixed to create the VACO Index that was then validated by comparing area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) in the early and late validation cohorts and among important validation cohort subgroups defined by sex, race/ethnicity, and geographic region. We also evaluated calibration curves and the range of predictions generated within age categories. 13,323 individuals tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (median age: 63 years; 91% male; 42% non-Hispanic Black). We observed 480/3,681 (13%) deaths in development, 253/2,151 (12%) deaths in the early validation cohort, and 403/7,491 (5%) deaths in the late validation cohort. Age, multimorbidity described with CCI, and a history of myocardial infarction or peripheral vascular disease were independently associated with mortality–no other individual comorbid diagnosis provided additional information. The VACO Index discriminated mortality in development (AUC = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.77–0.81), and in early (AUC = 0.81 95% CI: 0.78–0.83) and late (AUC = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.78–0.86) validation. The VACO Index allows personalized estimates of 30-day mortality after COVID-19 infection. For example, among those aged 60–64 years, overall mortality was estimated at 9% (95% CI: 6–11%). The Index further discriminated risk in this age stratum from 4% (95% CI: 3–7%) to 21% (95% CI: 12–31%), depending on sex and comorbid disease.

Conclusion

Prior to infection, demographics and comorbid conditions can discriminate COVID-19 mortality risk overall and within age strata. The VACO Index reproducibly identified individuals at substantial risk of COVID-19 mortality who might consider continuing social distancing, despite relaxed state and local guidelines.
Flow in the time of COVID-19: Findings from China
Authors: Sweeny Kate , Rankin Kyla , Cheng Xiaorong , Hou Lulu , Long Fangfang , Meng Yao , Azer Lilian , Zhou Renlai , Zhang Weiwei
Published: November 2020

In February 2020, the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) was raging in Wuhan, China and quickly spreading to the rest of the world. This period was fraught with uncertainty for those in the affected areas. The present investigation examined the role of two potential coping resources during this stressful period of uncertainty: flow and mindfulness. Participants in Wuhan and other major cities affected by COVID-19 (N = 5115) completed an online survey assessing subjective experiences of flow, mindfulness, and well-being. Longer quarantine was associated with poorer well-being; flow and mindfulness were associated with better well-being on some measures. However, flow—but not mindfulness—moderated the link between quarantine length and well-being, such that people who experienced high levels flow showed little or no association between quarantine length and poorer well-being. These findings suggest that experiencing flow (typically by engaging in flow-inducing activities) may be a particularly effective way to protect against potentially deleterious effects of a period of quarantine.
Anti-inflammatory activity of diindolylmethane alleviates Riemerella anatipestifer infection in ducks
Authors: Fernandez-Colorado Cherry P. , Cammayo Paula Leona T. , Flores Rochelle A. , Nguyen Binh T. , Kim Woo H. , Kim Suk , Lillehoj Hyun S. , Min Wongi
Published: November 2020

3,3’-Diindolylmethane (DIM) is found in cruciferous vegetables and is used to treat various inflammatory diseases because of its potential anti-inflammatory effects. To investigate effects of DIM in Riemerella anatipestifer-infected ducks which induce upregulation of inflammatory cytokines, ducks were treated orally with DIM at dose of 200 mg/kg/day and infected the following day with R. anatipestifer. Infected and DIM-treated ducks exhibited 14% increased survival rate and significantly decreased bacterial burden compared to infected untreated ducks. Next, the effect on the expression level of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-17A, IL-17F, IL-6, IL-1β) of both in vitro and in vivo DIM-treated groups was monitored by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Generally, the expression levels of the cytokines were significantly reduced in DIM-treated splenic lymphocytes stimulated with killed R. anatipestifer compared to stimulated untreated splenic lymphocytes. Similarly, the expression levels of the cytokines were significantly reduced in the spleens and livers of DIM-treated R. anatipestifer–infected ducks compared to infected untreated ducks. This study demonstrated the ameliorative effects of DIM in ducks infected with R. anatipestifer. Thus, DIM can potentially be used to prevent and/or treat R. anatipestifer infection via inhibition of inflammatory cytokine expression.
The clinical value of minimal invasive autopsy in COVID-19 patients
Authors: D’Onofrio Valentino , Donders Elena , Vanden Abeele Marie-Elena , Dubois Jasperina , Cartuyvels Reinoud , Achten Ruth , Lammens Martin , Dendooven Amelie , Driessen Ann , Augsburg Lukasz , Vanrusselt Jan , Cox Janneke
Published: November 2020

Background

Minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) is a validated and safe method to establish the cause of death (COD), mainly in low-resource settings. However, the additional clinical value of MIA in Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients in a high-resource setting is unknown. The objective was to assess if and how MIA changed clinical COD and contributing diagnoses in deceased COVID-19 patients.

Methods and findings

A prospective observational cohort from April to May 2020 in a 981-bed teaching hospital in the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium was established. Patients who died with either PCR-confirmed or radiologically confirmed COVID-19 infection were consecutively included. MIA consisted of whole-body CT and CT-guided Tru-Cut® biopsies. Diagnostic modalities were clinical chart review, radiology, microbiology, and histopathology which were assessed by two independent experts per modality. MIA COD and contributing diagnoses were established during a multi-disciplinary meeting. Clinical COD (CCOD) and contributing diagnosis were abstracted from the discharge letter. The main outcomes were alterations in CCOD and contributing diagnoses after MIA, and the contribution of each diagnostic modality. We included 18 patients, of which 7 after intensive care unit hospitalization. MIA led to an alteration in 15/18 (83%) patients. The CCOD was altered in 5/18 (28%) patients. MIA found a new COD (1/5), a more specific COD (1/5), a less certain COD (1/5), or a contributing diagnosis to be the COD (2/5). Contributing diagnoses were altered in 14/18 (78%) patients: 9 new diagnoses, 5 diagnoses dismissed, 3 made more specific, and 2 made less certain. Overall, histopathology contributed in 14/15 (93%) patients with alterations, radiology and microbiology each in 6/15 (40%), and clinical review in 3/15 (20%). Histopathology was deemed the most important modality in 10 patients, radiology in two patients, and microbiology in one patient.

Conclusion

MIA, especially histological examination, can add valuable new clinical information regarding the cause of death in COVID-19 patients, even in a high-resource setting with wide access to premortem diagnostic modalities. MIA may provide important clinical insights and should be applied in the current ongoing pandemic.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04366882
IDENTIFIKASI DAMPAK PERKEMBANGAN TEKNOLOGI TERHADAP TENAGA KERJA TOKO RITEL INDONESIA: STUDI KASUS TOKO X
Authors: Saragih Luciana
Published: November 2020

Technological developments in the era of the fourth industrial revolution are like two sides of a coin. On one hand, they open up opportunities to achieve progress and prosperity; On the other hand, machines and automation replace the role of workers with low skills. The author studied Store X, the first future store prototype in Southeast Asia using qualitative methods, which included observation, in-depth interviews, and SWOT analysis techniques. The results of the study are that X stores use a variety of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, and connected digital equipment systems. The technology is beneficial for retail and consumer entrepreneurs, but whether or not to benefit workers is still a question, because the effect will be seen when the implementation of this technology extends in the next few years. Low-skilled retail workers must get training from the company, and the most important thing is to have a strong willingness to increase his capacity to remain relevant to the needs of the retail industry in the future. Only workers who master STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) well will be able to fill this new job market. Therefore, all stakeholders need to collaborate to raise the level of education and skills of these workers.
ANALISIS JARINGAN KOLABORASI DALAM PENCEGAHAN DAN PENANGGULANGAN HIV/AIDS: STUDI DI KABUPATEN SUBANG JAWA BARAT
Authors: Raharja Sam'un Jaja , Akhmad Dede
Published: November 2020

There is an increasing trend of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Subang District, a region characterized by high population mobility. Hence, this study aims to explain the factors that influence collaboration in HIV/AIDS prevention and control in Subang Regency. This study uses a latent construct of collaboration reflected by five dimensions: governance, administration, organizational authority, mutuality, and norms. This study uses quantitative methods and data collection techniques through distributing questionnaires to 72 respondents involved in HIV/AIDS prevention and prevention in Subang Regency. The selection of respondents represents government and non-government organizations based on quota sampling. Data were analyzed by Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in the second order confirmatory factor analysis to explain the collaboration measurement model as a latent construct. The results showed that all dimensions of the collaboration construct were valid and reliable. All dimensions can be said to significantly explain the collaborative construct of HIV/AIDS prevention and care. The dimensions of governance are the most valuable factors that influence the construct of collaboration, followed by organizational autonomy, administration, mutuality, and finally norms as dimensions with the smallest contribution value to collaboration.Â
FERTILITAS REMAJA DI INDONESIA: HUBUNGAN ANTARA MELAHIRKAN PADA USIA REMAJA DAN CAPAIAN PENDIDIKAN WANITA
Authors: Purbowati Ari
Published: November 2020

Adolescent fertility has become concerns at both national and international levels. The government of Indonesia views pregnancy and teenage childbearing as a problem that must be overcome. Giving birth in adolescence can lead to low levels of education. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between adolescent fertility which is teenage childbearing and womenâ€™s educational attainment in Indonesia. The data source used is the Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS) 2017. Based on IDHS 2017, among women who have given birth. Around 31.5% of women gave birth for the first time before the age of 20. Of those, 3.8% gave birth out of wedlock, and 9.8% gave birth after postconception marriage. By using the instrumental variable (IV) method, the results of the study show that there is a negative association between giving birth in adolescent and womenâ€™s educational attainment. After controlling for individual and community/environmental characteristics, women who experienced first birth during their adolescence have 3.5 years of education lower than women who give birth for the first time at the age of 20 years and above.
THE EFFECT OF FAMILY LIVING ARRANGEMENT ON DELAYED SEXUAL DEBUT AMONG FEMALE TEENAGERS IN INDONESIA
Authors: Rizkianti Anissa , Saptarini Ika , Masitoh Siti
Published: November 2020

Delaying sexual debut is essential to prevent female teenagers from early sexual activity that can expose them to the risks of unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Family structure has a critical role in shaping adolescentsâ€™ sexual behaviors. However, this issue remains poorly understood in Indonesia. The study aims to assess the association between family living arrangement and delayed sexual debut among Indonesian female youth. The study analyzed data of unmarried Indonesian adolescents age 19-24 from Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2017, using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression. After controlling for sex of household head, educational status and knowledge of HIV/AIDS, female teenagers who lived with both parents were more likely to postpone sexual intercourse; however, this effect was not statistically significant. The family living arrangement has important consequences in terms of sexual development among female teenagers. Interventions on strengthening supportive atmosphere within the family and improving parent-adolescent relationships are critical in reducing teenagers' vulnerability to sexual risk-taking behaviors.
Lean Healthcare applied toward turning a Pharmacy Service Patient Centered
Authors: Zanotto Bruna Stella , Bittencourt Gabriela C. , Tortato Caroline , Martinbiancho Jacqueline K. , Chagas Janaína R. , Ruschel Karen Brasil , Etges Ana Paula , Polanczyk Carisi A.
Published: November 2020

Introduction. Pharmaceutical service optimization requires a comprehensive understanding of resource usage. The aim of the study is to analyze how Lean Healthcare principles can contribute toward turning a pharmacy service patient-centered and value oriented.

Methods. Understand how clinical pharmacists’ resources are effectively used by patients in an academic hospital using lean tools, such as value stream mapping and activity designation matrix, determine the amount of time each professional is involved in specific activities, and identify activities that add value. The data were mainly obtained through interviews with professionals, time-motion observational studies, chronoanalysis and meetings with the head of the unit.

Results. A process flow map is designed for clinical pharmacy services, and it considers the relationship between the activities and their added value base. An exploration of the map shows that the activity “clinical rounds” is the most time consuming (27%) and not necessarily considered value-added by both parties (pharmacists staff and head of service). It is notable the opportunity the service has to prioritize the high-risk patients and to make a good time management; furthermore, activities that are of high value to patients are being performed and monitored by interns.

Conclusions. The role of pharmacists should evolve from now on to be congruent with the new realities of healthcare. When value is questioned, we are encouraged to reflect on the activities engaged in by professional pharmacists in a clinical/surgical unit of a hospital. Through these tools, we could infer how the system is engaged and how it can be transformed toward added value.
Efeitos da prematuridade sobre a aprendizagem
Authors: Tavares Mariana Gauterio , Pozzada Jeruza Pires , Faria Augusto Duarte , Alves Rui Alexandre
Published: November 2020

Considerando as relações encontradas na literatura sobre dificuldades de aprendizagem e nascimento prematuro, este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar as correlações entre indivíduos que nasceram muito prematuros e prematuros moderados/tardios com dificuldades de aprendizagem. Foi considerado o desempenho na realização de provas nas áreas de linguagem, aritmética, construção visuoespacial e leitura, além de variáveis como o peso, Apgar e tempo de internação em UTI Neonatal. Foram constituídos dois grupos de crianças entre 6 anos e 10 anos e 11 meses. Um grupo tinha histórico de nascimento entre 28 e 36 semanas de idade gestacional, e o outro de nascimento a termo (a partir de 37 semanas). Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os grupos em relação ao desempenho nas tarefas. As correlações apontaram que o baixo peso ao nascer e o tempo de internação em centro de terapia intensiva não aparentam ser fator de risco para dificuldades de aprendizagem em crianças muito prematuras a prematuras moderadas/tardias. Estes resultados são vistos de forma positiva, pois permitem confiança nas habilidades das destas crianças e podem ajudar a reduzir o estigma da prematuridade.
Implementação da Visita Familiar Ampliada na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Adulto de um Hospital Universitário
Authors: Gabarra Letícia Macedo , Ferreira Camila Louise Baena , Lombardi Paula Adriane
Published: November 2020

A admissão de pacientes em Unidades de Terapia Intensiva (UTI’s) gera repercussões emocionais no indivíduo e familiares. Estas unidades remetem à gravidade da condição clínica e geralmente, possuem política restritiva de visitação. O presente artigo apresenta como objetivo descrever o processo de implementação da visita familiar ampliada - até 12 horas ininterruptas - na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Adulto de um Hospital Universitário, sob a perspectiva da equipe de Psicologia do setor. É apresentado, conforme estabelecido junto com a equipe multiprofissional, os critérios de seleção das famílias e aspectos a serem avaliados antes de efetivar a inclusão na visita ampliada. A implementação da visita ampliada tem se mostrado viável, com boa aceitação dos familiares, pacientes e equipe. Apresenta-se como resultado, o alívio da ansiedade dos familiares e o aumento da segurança e confiança na equipe multiprofissional. Os pacientes consideram positiva a experiência da visita ampliada e apresentam maior benefício especialmente quando apresentam sintomas de ansiedade, humor deprimido, agitação, delirium conforme observado pela equipe assistencial.
Adesão ao tratamento no cuidado de pessoas com HIV/AIDS: um estudo em hospital de ensino
Authors: Jankovitz Carlos Thommen Corrêa , Costa Juliana Dos Santos , Koifman Lilian , Ventura Tânia
Published: November 2020

A adesão à terapia antirretroviral (TARV) tem sido um desafio constante à rede de cuidado dos pacientes HIV+. Sabe-se que a posologia inadequada da medicação acarreta não só prejuízos ao indivíduo, como também ao sistema público de saúde. Visto isso, o estudo buscou avaliar a adesão à TARV dos usuários atendidos no serviço especializado de um hospital universitário, analisando os fatores psicossociais que influenciam nesse processo. Foram coletados dados sociodemográficos de 59 pacientes, além dos índices laboratoriais de carga viral e contagem de células TCD4+, entre os anos de 2014 e 2015. Para avaliar correlação estatística entre as variáveis do estudo e a adesão, usaram-se os testes de Mann Whitney, Qui-Quadrado de Person e Odds Ratio. Observou-se que 50,85% dos entrevistados não aderiam à terapia, sendo as dificuldades com a TARV e a mudança de rotina pela medicação, fatores associados à não-adesão (p0,05). Nesse contexto, torna-se evidente a importância de se conhecer os pontos de instabilidade dos serviços de HIV/AIDS, visando, assim, aprimorar as condições da assistência ofertadas por estes.