bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perimetric Comparison Between the IMOvifa and Humphrey Field Analyzer
Authors: Nishida Takashi , Eslani Medi , Weinreb Robert N. , Arias Juan , Vasile Cristiana , Mohammadzadeh Vahid , Moghimi Sasan
Published: October 2022

Précis:

IMO visual function analyzer (IMOvifa), a binocular perimeter, has similar output to the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA), but reduced the measurement time.

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of IMOvifa, a perimeter that performs binocular visual field (VF) testing, and to compare its results with standard automated perimetry.

Methods:

All patients underwent HFA 24–2 SITA-Fast and IMOvifa 24–2 AIZE-Rapid on the same day. Mean deviation (MD), pattern SD (PSD), foveal threshold, and visual field index (VFI) were compared between the 2 perimeters using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, Pearson correlation, and Bland-Altman plot. Measurement time for performing VF for both eyes was also collected for each device.

Results:

In this cross-sectional study, 138 eyes (including 25 healthy, 48 glaucoma suspects, and 65 primary open angle glaucoma) of 69 patients were evaluated. Measurement time was significantly faster for IMOvifa compared with HFA (256 vs. 419 s, P<0.001). No significant differences were seen in MD and VFI between HFA and IMOvifa (both P>0.05). Significant differences were seen in mean PSD 3.2 (2.7, 3.6) dB for HFA versus 4.1 (3.5, 4.6) for IMOvifa (P<0.001), and foveal threshold 33.9 (33.1, 34.6) dB for HFA versus 30.6 (29.3, 31.9) dB for IMOvifa (P<0.001). Pearson r was strong for MD (r=0.90, P<0.001), PSD (r=0.78, P<0.001), and VFI (r=0.94, P<0.001). The mean difference (95% limits of agreement) was −0.1 (−3.8, 3.5) dB for MD, −0.4 (−3.4, 2.5) dB for PSD, and 0.1 (−8.9, 9.1) dB for VFI, respectively.

Conclusions:

IMOvifa reduced measurement time by 39%. MD, PSD, and VFI values for IMOvifa showed good agreement with HFA SITA-Fast strategy. This perimeter reduced fatigue for both patient and examiner. Additional studies are needed to determine whether it will be useful for routine VF testing.
The Mechanism, Impact, and Effectiveness of Herpes Zoster Vaccine: A Narrative Review
Authors: Almutawa Yaser Mansoor , Bhattarai Emma , Zhao Jing-Jun
Published: October 2022

In the past decade, there has been increasing interest in whether a widespread childhood varicella immunization scheme may increase the age-specific incidence of herpes zoster in adults. This proposition is based on evidence that exposure to endemic varicella boosts varicella-zoster virus-specific immunity in adults and that cessation of varicella in the community would result in a decline in the T-cell–mediated immunity required to maintain dormancy of varicella-zoster virus in neurons. However, numerous epidemiological studies have failed to fully explore this effect. Quantifying the efficacy of the varicella vaccine is a crucial step in understanding its benefits. We conducted this review to quantify the efficacy of the varicella vaccine (HZ/su vaccine) which will contribute immensely to our understanding of how the vaccine benefits the population in prevention against the herpes zoster, especially during the outbreak of Covid-19.
Effect of extracts from Saussurea laniceps on skin photoaging
Authors: Zheng Bowen , Xia Yujie , Ruan Guanghong , Zhang Shuling , Ni Macili , Qu Hongye
Published: October 2022

Objective:

Photoaging is caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Saussurea laniceps Hand.-Mazz (SL) has long been used in Tibetan folk medicine. We evaluated the anti-photoaging effect of extracts from SL on model animal skin.

Methods:

The total ethanol extract of SL (ESL) was evaluated for antiphotoaging activity in Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice, and the appearance, pathological features, and changes in relevant indicators for photoaging were assessed. High-, medium-, and low-dose ESL (experimental groups) and vitamin E (positive control group) were orally administered to the mice for 8 weeks. The average exposure times to UV rays in the ESL-treated, vitamin E-treated, and model ICR mice were gradually prolonged up to a total exposure dose of 142.5 J/cm2 for UVA and 20.52 J/cm2 and UVB. The model group was treated with UV rays only, whereas the normal group was treated with neither drugs nor UV rays.

Results:

After 8 weeks, the appearance and pathological changes in the experimental groups and positive control group showed greater improvement than those in the model group. Analysis of biochemical parameters showed that the levels of superoxide dismutase (371.42 ± 65.68, 302.77 ± 44.59, 287.03 ± 59.82), glutathione peroxidase (82.66 ± 42.52, 75.23 ± 31.81, 72.19 ± 22.82), and hydroxyproline (2.83 ± 0.32, 2.59 ± 0.45, 2.60 ± 0.50) were significantly higher in the experimental groups (High dose group, Medium dose group, Low dose group) than those indexes in the model group (251.87 ± 40.81, 40.80 ± 30.92, 2.17 ± 0.37, P<0.05).

Conclusion:

These results indicate that ESL has anti-photoaging effects and provides scientific evidence that SL has potential as a new anti-photoaging agent.
Sleep Latency and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Retired Career Florida Firefighters
Authors: Testoff Addison C. , Schaefer Solle Natasha , Shafazand Shirin , Louzado-Feliciano Paola , Lee David J. , Koru-Sengul Tulay , Kobetz Erin N. , Caban-Martinez Alberto J.
Published: October 2022

Objective

Our objective was to estimate the association of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sleep latency among retired firefighters.

Methods

Baseline health survey data collected from retried career Florida firefighters participating in an ongoing prospective cohort study from 2017 to 2021 were analyzed. Risk for PTSD was assessed using a four-item primary care PTSD screening construct, and sleep onset latency was assessed by self-reported length of time to fall asleep.

Results

Among the 500 participants, 8.0% screened positive for PTSD risk and 37.6% had prolonged sleep onset latency (≥20 minutes to fall asleep). Retired firefighters with PTSD risk were 2.7 times more likely (adjusted odds ratio, 2.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.27–5.75) to have prolonged sleep latency compared with those without PTSD risk while controlling for covariates.

Conclusions

Retired firefighters who screen positive for PTSD risk are three times more likely to report delayed sleep onset latency.
How Does the Effect of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model Vary Based on Surgical Volume and Costs of Care?
Authors: Ko Hyunkyu , Martin Brook I. , Nelson Richard E. , Pelt Christopher E.
Published: October 2022

Background:

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation revised the comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) program, a mandatory 90-day bundled payment for lower extremity joint replacement, in December 2017, retaining 34 of the original 67 metropolitan statistical areas with higher volume and historic episode payments.

Objectives:

We describe differences in costs, quality, and patient selection between hospitals that continued to participate compared with those that withdrew from CJR before and after the implementation of CJR.

Research Design:

We used a triple difference approach to compare the magnitude of the policy effect for elective admissions between hospitals that were retained in the CJR revision or not, before and after the implementation of CJR, and compared with hospitals in nonparticipant metropolitan statistical areas.

Subjects:

694,275 Medicare beneficiaries undergoing elective lower extremity joint replacement from January 1, 2013 to August 31, 2017

Measures:

The treatment effect heterogeneity of CJR.

Results:

Hospitals retained in the CJR policy revision had a greater reduction in 90-day episode-of-care cost compared with those that were allowed to discontinue (−$846, 95% CI: −$1,338, −$435) and had greater cost reductions in the more recent year (2017). We also found evidence that retained CJR hospitals disproportionately reduced treating patients who were older than 85 years.

Conclusions:

Hospitals that continued to participate in CJR after the policy revision achieved a greater cost reduction. However, the cost reductions were partly attributed to avoiding potential higher-cost patients, suggesting that a bundled payment policy might induce disparities in care delivery.
Seven Years, 3 Surveys, a Changed World: The State Public Health Workforce 2014-2021
Authors: Bogaert Kyle , Papillon Greg , Wyche Etheridge Kimberlee , Plescia Marcus , Gambatese Melissa , Pearsol Joanne L. , Mason Avia
Published: October 2022

Context:

The COVID-19 pandemic and other public health challenges have increased the need for longitudinal data quantifying the changes in the state public health workforce.

Objective:

To characterize the state of governmental public health workforce among state health agency (SHA) staff across the United States and provide longitudinal comparisons to 2 prior fieldings of the survey.

Design:

State health agency leaders were invited to have their workforce to participate in PH WINS 2021. As in prior fieldings, participating agencies provided staff lists used to send e-mail invitations to employees to participate in this electronic survey.

Setting and Participants:

State health agency staff.

Main Outcome Measures:

PH WINS 2021 maintains the 4 primary domains from 2014 and 2017 (ie, workplace engagement, training needs assessment, emerging public health concepts, and demographics) and includes new questions related to the mental and emotional well-being; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staff retention; and the workforce's awareness of and confidence in emerging public health concepts.

Results:

The percentage of SHA staff who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color increased from 30% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 29%-32%) to 35% (95% CI: 35%-37%) between 2014 and 2021. Staff younger than 31 years accounted for 11% (95% CI: 10%-12%) of the SHA workforce in 2021 compared with 8% in 2014 (95% CI: 8%-9%). From 2014 to 2021, staff who self-identify as a woman increased from 72% (95% CI: 71%-74%) to 76% (95% CI: 75%-77%). Overall, 22% (95% CI: 21%-23%) of the SHA workforce rated their mental health as poor/fair.

Conclusion:

The 2021 PH WINS results represent unique and current perspectives on the SHA workforce and can inform future public health infrastructure investments, research, and field practice to ensure a strong public health system.
Awareness of and Confidence to Address Equity-Related Concepts Across the US Governmental Public Health Workforce
Authors: Porter Jamila M. , Giles-Cantrell Brittany , Schaffer Kay , Dutta Elizabeth Arend , Castrucci Brian C.
Published: October 2022

Objective:

To assess the governmental public health (GPH) workforce's awareness of and confidence to address health equity, social determinants of health (SDoH), and social determinants of equity (SDoE) in their work.

Design, Setting, and Participants:

A nationally representative population of US local and state GPH employees (n = 41 890) were surveyed through the 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS 2021).

Main Outcome Measures:

Self-reported awareness and confidence were explored by self-identified racial and ethnic group identity, public health degree attainment, and supervisory status.

Results:

GPH employees reported higher levels of awareness across concepts (health equity—71%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 70.5—71.6; SDoH—62%, 95% CI: 62.3-63.5; SDoE—48%, 95% CI: 47.2-48.4) than confidence (health equity—48%, 95% CI: 47.8-49.0; SDoH—46%, 95% CI: 45.4-46.7; SDoE—34%, 95% CI: 33.4-34.6). Self-identified Black or African American employees reported higher confidence across all concepts (health equity—56%, 95% CI: 54.3-57.6; SDoH—52%, 95% CI: 50.8-54.1; SDoE—43%, 95% CI: 41.3-44.6) compared to other self-identified racial groups. Employees with a PH degree reported higher confidence across all concepts (health equity—65%, 95% CI: 63.8-68.8; SDoH—73%, 95% CI: 71.3-74.1; SDoE—39%, 95% CI: 36.9-40.1) compared with employees without a PH degree (health equity—45%, 95% CI: 44.8-46.1; SDoH—41%, 95% CI: 40.6-41.9; SDoE—33%, 95% CI: 32.6-33.8). We found an inverse relationship between supervisory status and confidence to address SDoE: Nonsupervisors reported higher confidence (35%, 95% CI: 29.2-31.9) than supervisors (31%, 95% CI: 29.2-31.9), managers (31%, 95% CI: 28.8-32.6), and executives (32%, 95% CI: 27.5-34.4).

Conclusion:

PH WINS 2021 reveals that GPH employees are aware of equity-related concepts but lack confidence to address them. Public health agencies should build employees' confidence by prioritizing and operationalizing equity internally and externally in collaboration with communities and partners.
The Opportunity Cost of COVID for Public Health Practice: COVID-19 Pandemic Response Work and Lost Foundational Areas of Public Health Work
Authors: McCullough J. Mac , Robins Moriah
Published: October 2022

This article has been temporarily removed by the publisher, Wolters Kluwer, due to a data quality issue. We regret any confusion this may have caused. This article will be published once production is complete on the Public Health Workforce Interest and Needs Survey supplemental issue.
Impact of a Very Short-Stay Post-Emergency Geriatric Unit on Early Readmissions
Authors: Moyet Julien , Lesourd Baptiste , Bachelet Félix , Delattre Orianne , Domisse Laure , Hannat Sanaa , Defouilloy Christian , Bloch Frédéric
Published: October 2022

Background and Objectives:

In 2017, our French 1671-bed university hospital opened a 12-bed unit for very short stays, post-emergency (unit of transitory admission in geriatric [UTAG] area), dedicated to frail patients older than 75 years requiring short-term care. We sought to investigate whether this new organization's shortened length of stay (LOS) was associated or not with a higher rate of readmission.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective descriptive study based on the daily activity of the UTAG over 6 months including all patients consecutively hospitalized in the unit via the computerized medical file of the hospital. The data collected included the Rockwood score, the primary diagnoses, the LOS and any 1-month readmission.

Results:

From August 2019 to January 2020, 646 older adult patients were hospitalized in the UTAG. Two-thirds of the hospitalized patients were women; the mean age of this population was 86.7 ± 6.2 years. The main causes of hospitalization were infectious pathologies (19.8%), falls and their consequences (17.3%), and cardiac pathologies (17.2%). The mean LOS was of 2.7 ± 2.0. Seventy readmissions were observed in the month after discharge. One-month readmissions were more frequent when patients had presented with acute heart failure and among nursing home residents.

Conclusion:

The creation of the UTAG reduced LOS and so contributed to decreased iatrogenic disabilities without putting patients at increased risk of readmission. The development of cardiac and geriatric dedicated outpatient pathways and a community-based geriatric mobile team intervening in nursing homes could optimize the care of frail older adult patients and avoid readmissions.
Comparative Study of the Incidence of Port Site Infection in Disposable Ports and Reprocessed Disposable Ports in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Authors: Jokar Mozhgan , Larti Negin , Zarei Mohammadreza , Melali Hamid , Zabihirad Jaber , Maraki Fatemeh , Jazini Dorcheh Saeed , Kelidari Behrooz
Published: October 2022

Introduction:

Port site infection (PSI) is a rare complication of laparoscopic surgery that can reduce the benefits of this minimally invasive surgery and increase postoperative complications. As a variety of disposable ports (single-use ports) and reprocessed ports are used in laparoscopic surgeries, this study was conducted to compare the incidence of PSI in disposable ports and reprocessed disposable ports in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).

Materials and Methods:

In this prospective cohort study, 473 patients were studied. Two hundred fifteen and two hundred fifty eight were in the disposable port group and reprocessed disposable port group, respectively. The demographic characteristics and incidence of superficial and deep infection were evaluated using the researcher-made checklist of infection assessment standards at intervals of 3 to 5 and 5 to 14 days following LC using call and physical examination on day 14. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and statistical tests in SPSS software.

Results:

The incidence of PSI, 3 to 5 and 5 to 14 days after surgery in the reprocessed disposable port group was significantly higher than that in the disposable ports group. In both groups, all PSI accrued in the epigastric port area (where the gallbladder was removed) (P< 0.05).

Conclusion:

On the basis of the results, our study suggests using disposable ports instead, and in the case of using reprocessed disposable ports in LC, upgrading of disinfection and sterilization techniques is necessary.
Gastric Emptying is Accelerated in Patients With Gastric Tube Reconstruction Following Laparoscopic Proximal Gastrectomy
Authors: Toyomasu Yoshitaka , Mochiki Erito , Ito Tetsuya , Ishiguro Toru , Suzuki Okihide , Kumagai Youichi , Ishibashi Keiichiro , Saeki Hiroshi , Shirabe Ken , Ishida Hideyuki
Published: October 2022

Background:

Laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy (LPG) is an attractive option for the treatment of early gastric cancer in the upper third of the stomach. No optimal method of reconstruction after LPG has been established because of problems associated with postoperative reflux. Gastric tube reconstruction, a type of esophagogastrostomy, is a simple procedure, but it is associated with a high frequency of reflux esophagitis (RE). We investigated the relationship between RE and gastric emptying, along with nutritional parameters.

Subjects and Methods:

We compared gastric emptying in patients who had undergone curative LPG with gastric tube reconstruction for gastric cancer with that of patients after total gastrectomy (TG), distal gastrectomy (DG) and of healthy volunteers and patients after DG. The LPG group was divided into an RE LPG-RE (+) group and a non-reflux esophagitis (non-RE) an LPG-RE (−) group, and we compared gastric emptying and indices of nutrition, such as body weight and laboratory findings, between those among LPG-RE (+), LPG-RE (−), and TG groups.

Results:

The time lag between ingestion and peak 13CO2 expiration (T lag) in the healthy volunteer group was significantly shorter in the LPG group longer than those in the healthy volunteer LPG group and TG group. The T lag was significantly shorter in the RE LPG-RE (+) group than in the non-RE LPG-RE (−) group. The percentage change in body weight percentage in the non-RE LPG-RE (−) group was significantly larger than that in the RE LPG-RE (+) group at 12 months after surgery. Both the serum albumin and hemoglobin levels in the non-RE LPG-RE (−) tended to be preserved compared with those in the RE LPG-RE (+) group and TG group.

Conclusions:

Gastric emptying was accelerated after LPG, and was associated with RE. Our data suggest that RE could be associated with body weight loss after LPG.
Dehydrogenation versus deprotonation of disaccharide molecules in vacuum: a thorough theoretical investigation
Authors: Andriyevsky Bohdan , Tarrat Nathalie , Cortés Juan , Schön Johann Christian
Published: October 2022

Dehydrogenation and deprotonation of sucrose and trehalose molecules in vacuum is theoretically studied by using
ab initio
calculations in the framework of the density functional theory. The differences in the structural, electronic, energetic and vibrational properties of dehydrogenated and deprotonated molecules are discussed, depending on the site from which the hydrogen atom or the proton has been removed. The dehydrogenated molecules are found to be stable, regardless of which hydrogen atom is removed. This contrasts with the instability of the deprotonated molecules, where break-ups or structural reorganizations of the molecule are observed in 20–30% of the cases, but only when the hydrogen atom whose proton is removed was bonded to a carbon atom. Considering the stability and possible rearrangements of the hydrogen network of the deprotonated/dehydrogenated molecule, the formation of additional hydrogen-bridge bonds compared with the nominal molecule appears to be more pronounced for the deprotonated molecules than for the dehydrogenated ones. Moreover, our calculations show that the hydrogen-transfer energy barriers are usually larger for the deprotonated molecules than for the dehydrogenated ones. Finally, compared with the nominal molecule, the vibrational frequency spectrum is shifted to lower frequencies for both the dehydrogenated and the deprotonated molecules.
Identification of potential welfare and survival indicators for stranded cetaceans through international, interdisciplinary expert opinion
Authors: Boys Rebecca M. , Beausoleil Ngaio J. , Pawley Matthew D. M. , Littlewood Katherine E. , Betty Emma L. , Stockin Karen A.
Published: October 2022

Management of live cetacean strandings generally focuses on refloating animals, yet there is a lack of scientific data to inform decision-making. Valid indicators that are practical to measure are needed to assess welfare status and survival likelihood for stranded cetaceans. The Delphi method was applied to gather international and interdisciplinary expert opinion to provide face validity to potential indicators of stranded cetacean welfare and survival likelihood. Two online questionnaires were conducted. In the first questionnaire these experts identified potential indicators of stranded cetacean welfare and survival likelihood. These indicators were subsequently scored by the same experts in questionnaire two, based on their value for assessing welfare/survival likelihood and being practical to measure. Indicators considered valuable and practical for assessing welfare and survival likelihood at strandings included animal-based indices of body and skin condition, signs of physical trauma, respiration rate and various behaviours. Resource-/management-based indicators related mainly to human intervention and should be correlated with animal-based indices to provide relevant evaluations. Importantly, inextricable links between welfare and survival for stranded cetaceans are emphasized, with 90% of indicators being similar for both. Investigations into these indicators should be conducted to develop a practical, science-based assessment framework to inform decision-making during stranding events.
On the eigenstructure of rotations and poses: commonalities and peculiarities
Authors: D’Eleuterio Gabriele M. T. , Barfoot Timothy D.
Published: October 2022

Locating vehicles, targets and objects in three-dimensional space is key to many fields of science and engineering such as robotics, aerospace, computer vision and graphics. Rotations and poses (position plus orientation) of bodies can be expressed in a variety of ways. Rotation matrices constitute one of the classic matrix Lie groups, the special orthogonal group—SO(3). Poses can likewise be represented by matrices. One such representation is embodied in a 4 × 4 matrix establishing another famous matrix Lie group, the special Euclidean group—SE(3). An alternative representation of pose uses 6 × 6 matrices and is referred to as the group of pose adjoints—Ad(SE(3)). The eigenstructures of these representations reveal much about them from Euler’s theorem for rotations to the Mozzi–Chasles theorem for the general displacement of a rigid body. While the eigenstructure ofSO(3)has been extensively studied, those ofSE(3)andAd(SE(3))have hardly received the same scrutiny yet their structure is much richer. Motivated by their importance in kinematics and dynamics, we provide here a complete characterization of rotations and poses in terms of the eigenstructure of their matrix Lie group representations. An eigendecomposition of pose matrices reveals that they can be cast into a form similar to that of rotations although the structure of the former can vary depending on the nature of the pose involved. In particular, the pose matrices ofSE(3)andAd(SE(3))cannot generally be diagonalized as can rotation matrices but they of course do yield to a Jordan normal form, from which we can identify a principal-axis pose in much the same manner that we can a principal-axis rotation. We also address the minimal polynomials for poses and derive a novel expression for the Jacobian inAd(SE(3)). Finally, we argue that the true counterpart toSO(3)for poses is notSE(3)butAd(SE(3)).
Molecular characterisation of a novel avian rotavirus A strain detected from a gull species (Larus sp.)
Authors: Fujii Yuji , Masatani Tatsunori , Nishiyama Shoko , Okajima Misuzu , Izumi Fumiki , Okazaki Katsunori , Sakoda Yoshihiro , Takada Ayato , Ozawa Makoto , Sugiyama Makoto , Ito Naoto
Published: October 2022

A recent study demonstrated the possibility that migratory birds are responsible for the global spread of avian rotavirus A (RVA). However, little is known about what types of RVAs are retained in migratory birds. In this study, to obtain information on RVA strains in migratory birds, we characterised an RVA strain, Ho374, that was detected in a faecal sample from a gull species (Larus sp.). Genetic analysis revealed that all 11 genes of this strain were classified as new genotypes (G28-P[39]-I21-R14-C14-M13-A24-N14-T16-E21-H16). This clearly indicates that the genetic diversity of avian RVAs is greater than previously recognised. Our findings highlight the need for investigations of RVA strains retained in migratory birds, including gulls.
Supplementation of AQUATURM® (Water soluble turmeric extract) prior to and following heavy eccentric exercise alleviates symptoms of Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
Authors: Tamoli Sanjay , Mundhe Narendra , Pawar Vinay , Birari Sandip
Published: October 2022

Background

Curcumin, the most active component in turmeric helps attenuate DOMS.

Objectives

A clinical study was conducted to evaluate efficacy and safety of AQUATURM® in subjects with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).

Methods

Twenty healthy men in each of the two subsets completed the study. Subjects were assigned as per a computer-generated randomization list. In subset-I, subjects were asked to take given product in a dose of 1 capsule (250 mg) for 2 days. In subset-II, subjects were asked to take given product in a dose of 1 capsule (250mg) for 5 days. In subset-I, eccentric exercise was performed at hour 6. In subset-II eccentric exercise was performed at day 2.5. The outcome measures were muscle pain, tenderness, swelling, jump performance, muscle inflammatory markers, rescue medication and adverse events. These outcome measures were evaluated at 0 hour, at 6 hours (immediately after exercise), at 24 hours and at 48 hours in subset-I, and at day 1, day 2.5 baseline (immediately after exercise), at 24 hours from baseline and at 48 hours from baseline in subset-II.

Results

A significant reduction in muscle pain, tenderness and swelling post eccentric exercise was observed in AQUATURM® Capsule group compared to placebo group in both the subsets of the study. Additionally, when compared to the placebo group, the AQUATURM® group showed a statistically significant increase in post exercise average single-leg vertical squat jump. AQUATURM® Capsule was well tolerated by the subjects.

Conclusion

Supplementation of AQUATURM® Capsule prior to and following heavy eccentric exercise in healthy men resulted in relieving muscle pain, tenderness and swelling from DOMS.
High-density linkage maps and chromosome level genome assemblies unveil direction and frequency of extensive structural rearrangements in wood white butterflies (Leptideaspp.)
Authors: Höök L. , Näsvall K. , Vila R. , Wiklund C. , Backström N.
Published: October 2022

Karyotypes are generally conserved between closely related species and large chromosome rearrangements typically have negative fitness consequences in heterozygotes, potentially driving speciation. In the order Lepidoptera, most investigated species have the ancestral karyotype and gene synteny is often conserved across deep divergence, although examples of extensive genome reshuffling have recently been demonstrated. The genusLeptideahas an unusual level of chromosome variation and rearranged sex chromosomes, but the extent of restructuring across the rest of the genome is so far unknown. To explore the genomes of the wood white (Leptidea) species complex, we generated eight genome assemblies using a combination of 10X linked reads and HiC data, and improved them using linkage maps for two populations of the common wood white (L. sinapis) with distinct karyotypes. Synteny analysis revealed an extensive amount of rearrangements, both compared to the ancestral karyotype and between theLeptideaspecies, where only one of the three Z chromosomes was conserved across all comparisons. Most restructuring was explained by fissions and fusions, while translocations appear relatively rare. We further detected several examples of segregating rearrangement polymorphisms supporting a highly dynamic genome evolution in this clade. Fusion breakpoints were enriched for LINEs and LTR elements, which suggests that ectopic recombination might be an important driver in the formation of new chromosomes. Our results show that chromosome count alone may conceal the extent of genome restructuring and we propose that the amount of genome evolution in Lepidoptera might still be underestimated due to lack of taxonomic sampling.
Genome-wide RNA binding analysis ofC9orf72poly(PR) dipeptides
Authors: Balendra Rubika , de los Mozos Igor Ruiz , Glaria Idoia , Milioto Carmelo , Odeh Hana M , Wilson Katherine M , Ule Agnieszka M , Hallegger Martina , Masino Laura , Martin Stephen , Patani Rickie , Shorter James , Ule Jernej , Isaacs Adrian M
Published: October 2022

An intronic GGGGCC repeat expansion inC9orf72is a common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. The repeats are transcribed in both sense and antisense directions to generate distinct dipeptide repeat proteins, of which poly(GA), poly(GR) and poly(PR) have been implicated in contributing to neurodegeneration. Poly(PR) binding to RNA may contribute to toxicity, but analysis of poly(PR)-RNA binding on a genome-wide scale has not yet been carried out. We therefore performed crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (CLIP) analysis in human cells to identify the RNA binding sites of poly(PR). We found that poly(PR) binds to nearly 600 RNAs, with the sequence GAAGA enriched at the binding sites.In vitroexperiments showed that polyGAAGA RNA binds poly(PR) with higher affinity than control RNA and induces phase-separation of poly(PR) into condensates. These data indicate that poly(PR) preferentially binds to polyGAAGA-containing RNAs, which may have physiological consequences.
Barcoded overexpression screens in gut Bacteroidales identify genes with new roles in carbon utilization and stress resistance
Authors: Huang Yolanda Y. , Price Morgan N. , Hung Allison , Gal-Oz Omree , Ho Davian , Carion Héloïse , Deutschbauer Adam M. , Arkin Adam P.
Published: October 2022

A mechanistic understanding of host-microbe interactions in the gut microbiome is hindered by poorly annotated bacterial genomes. While functional genomics can generate large gene-to- phenotype datasets to accelerate functional discovery, their applications to study gut anaerobes have been limited. For instance, most gain-of-function screens of gut-derived genes have been performed inEscherichia coliand assayed in a small number of conditions. To address these challenges, we developed Barcoded Overexpression BActerial shotgun library sequencing (Boba-seq). We demonstrate the power of this approach by assaying genes from diverse gut Bacteroidales overexpressed inBacteroides thetaiotaomicron. From hundreds of experiments, we identified new functions and novel phenotypes for 29 genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism or tolerance to antibiotics or bile salts. Highlights include the discovery of a D- glucosamine kinase, a raffinose transporter, and several routes that increase tolerance to bile salts through lipid biosynthesis. This approach can be readily applied to develop screens in other strains and additional phenotypic assay types.
Emergent neural dynamics and geometry for generalization in a transitive inference task
Authors: Kay Kenneth , Biderman Natalie , Khajeh Ramin , Beiran Manuel , Cueva Christopher J. , Shohamy Daphna , Jensen Greg , Wei Xue-Xin , Ferrera Vincent P. , Abbott L.F.
Published: October 2022

Relational cognition — the ability to infer relationships that generalize to novel combinations of objects — is fundamental to human and animal intelligence. Despite this importance, it remains unclear how relational cognition is implemented in the brain due in part to a lack of hypotheses and predictions at the levels of collective neural activity and behavior. Here we discovered, analyzed, and experimentally tested neural networks (NNs) that perform transitive inference (TI), a classic relational task (if A > B and B > C, then A > C). We found NNs that (i) generalized perfectly, despite lacking overt transitive structure prior to training, (ii) generalized when the task required working memory (WM), a capacity thought essential to inference in the brain, (iii) emergently expressed behaviors long observed in living subjects, in addition to a novel order-dependent behavior, and (iv) adopted different task solutions yielding alternative behavioral and neural predictions. Further, in a large-scale experiment, we found that human subjects performing WM-based TI showed behavior inconsistent with a class of NNs expressing an intuitive task solution. These findings provide neural insights into a classical relational ability, with wider implications for how the brain realizes relational cognition.
The identity ofArgyria lacteella(Fabricius, 1794) (Lepidoptera, Pyraloidea, Crambinae), synonyms, and related species using morphology and DNA capture in type specimens
Authors: Landry Bernard , Bilat Julia , Hayden James , Solis M. Alma , Lees David C. , Alvarez Nadir , Léger Théo , Gauthier Jérémy
Published: October 2022

Recent developments in museomics enable genetic information to be recovered from previously unusable collection specimens and thus to answer complex taxonomic questions. Here we apply museomics to a taxonomic problem involving several species ofArgyriaHübner (Pyraloidea, Crambinae), with previously unrecognized morphological variation. By analysing the DNA barcode (COI-5P) in numerous specimens, we aimed to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships between species, to provide better evidence for synonymies, and to circumscribe their geographical distribution. Using an innovative DNA hybridization capture protocol, we partially recovered the DNA barcode of the lectotype ofArgyria lacteella(Fabricius, 1794) for comparison with the 229 DNA barcode sequences ofArgyriaspecimens available in the Barcode of Life Datasystems, and this firmly establishes the identity of the species. The same protocol was used for the following type specimens: theArgyria abronalis(Walker, 1859) holotype, thus confirming the synonymy of this name withA. lacteella, the holotype ofA. lusella(Zeller, 1863),rev. syn., the holotype ofA. multifactaDyar, 1914,syn. n., newly synonymized withA. lacteella, and a specimen ofArgyria diplomochalisDyar, 1913, collected in 1992. A complementary sampling composed of nine specimens ofA. lacteella, A. diplomochalis, A. centrifugensDyar, 1914 andA. gonogrammaDyar, 1915, from North to South America, were integrated using classical COI amplification and Sanger sequencing.Argyria gonogrammaDyar, described from Bermuda, is the name to be applied to the more widespread North American species formerly identified asA. lacteella. Following morphological study of its holotype,Argyria vestalisButler, 1878,syn. n. is also synonymized withA. lacteella. The nameA. pusillalisHübner, 1818, is considered anomen dubiumassociated withA. gonogramma. The adult morphology is diagnosed and illustrated, and distributions are plotted forA. lacteella, A. diplomochalis, A. centrifugens, andA. gonogrammabased on slightly more than 800 specimens. For the first time, DNA barcode sequences are provided for the AntilleanA. diplomochalis. Our work highlights the efficiency of the DNA hybrid capture enrichment method to retrieve DNA barcodes from 18th and 19th century type specimens in order to solve taxonomic issues in Lepidoptera.
Disentangling the diet composition of chicks of Arctic shorebirds provides a new perspective on trophic mismatches
Authors: Zhemchuzhnikov Mikhail K. , Zhemchuzhnikova Elena A. , Lameris Thomas K. , van Bleijswijk Judith , ten Horn Job , Soloviev Mikhail , Golovnyuk Viktor , Sukhova Maria , Popovkina Anastasiya , Kutcherov Dmitry , van Gils Jan A.
Published: October 2022

With rapid climatic changes over the past decades, organisms living in seasonal environments are suggested to increasingly face trophic mismatches: the disruption of synchrony between different trophic levels due to a different phenological response to increasing temperatures. Strong effects of mismatches are especially expected in the Arctic region, where climatic changes are most rapid. Nevertheless, relatively few studies have found strong evidence for trophic mismatches between the breeding period of Arctic-breeding shorebirds and the arthropod prey on which they rely. Here we argue that this is potentially caused by a generalisation of trophic interactions. While many studies have measured the mismatch relative to the peak in abundance of all available arthropod species, we use metabarcoding of prey items in faeces to show that chicks of four different shorebird species (red knot, curlew sandpiper, little stint, and red phalarope) strongly differ in their arthropod diet. Three out of the four species feed on arthropods peaking in availability five-ten days before the overall arthropod peak which had implications for the calculations of trophic mismatches. We conclude that ignoring diet selectivity hampers our understanding of phenological mismatches.
Pytometry: Flow and mass cytometry analytics in Python
Authors: Büttner Maren , Hempel Felix , Ryborz Thomas , Theis Fabian J. , Schultze Joachim L.
Published: October 2022

Flow and mass cytometry data are commonly analyzed via manual gating strategies which requires prior knowledge, expertise and time. With increasingly complex experiments with many parameters and samples, traditional manual flow and mass cytometry data analysis becomes cumbersome if not inefficient. At the same time, computational tools developed for the analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data have made single cell genomics analysis highly efficient, yet they are mostly inaccessible for the analysis of flow and mass cytometry data due to different data formats, noise assumptions and scales. To bring the advantages of both fields together, we developed Pytometry as an extension to the popular scanpy framework for the analysis of flow and mass cytometry data. We showcase a standard analysis workflow on healthy human bone marrow data, illustrating the applicability of tools developed for the larger feature space of single cell genomics data. Pytometry combines joint analysis of multiple samples and advanced computational applications, ranging from automated pre-processing, cell type annotation and disease classification.
Expanding the synthetic biology toolbox with a library of constitutive and repressible promoters
Authors: Yang Eric J.Y. , Nemhauser Jennifer L.
Published: October 2022

Structured Abstract

Background

To support the increasingly complex circuits needed for plant synthetic biology applications, additional constitutive promoters are essential. Reusing promoter parts can lead to difficulty in cloning, increased heterogeneity between transformants, transgene silencing and trait instability. Moreover, the utility of such promoters could be increased by introducing target sequences not found elsewhere in theArabidopsis thalianagenome and well-suited for Cas9-associated guide RNAs (gRNAs).

Methods

We have developed a pipeline to identify genes that have stable expression across a wide range ofArabidopsistissues at different developmental stages, and have identified a number of promoters that are well expressed in both transient (Nicotiana benthamiana) and stable (Arabidopsis) transformation assays. We have also introduced two genome-orthogonal gRNA target-sites in a subset of the screened promoters, converting them into NOR logic gates.

Results

Of twenty-two promoters identified in our bioinformatic screen, sixteen drove detectable reporter expression inN. benthamiana. Only three of these promoters were able to produce visible expression of the RUBY reporter inArabidopsisdespite producing RUBY mRNA that could be readily detected by qPCR. We then modified six of these promoters to be repressible, and five of which functioned as NOR gates

Conclusions

One of the major bottlenecks for the ambitious engineering projects currently under development in plants is the lack of well-characterized constitutive promoters. The work here begins to fill this gap. It can also form the basis of constructing more complex information processing circuits in the future.
Newcastle disease virus elevates its replication by instigating oxidative stress-driven Sirtuin 7 production
Authors: Shokeen Kamal , Kumar Sachin
Published: October 2022

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation inside the cells instigates oxidative stress leading to the activation of stress-responsive genes. The persistence of stress halts the cells’ antiviral response, from which numerous viruses benefit. The viral strategies for promoting stressful conditions and utilizing the induced host proteins to enhance their replication remain elusive. The present work investigates the impact of oxidative stress on NDV pathogenesis. Here, we report that the progression of NDV infection depends on intracellular ROS production. Additionally, the results demonstrate the elevation of SIRT7 levels at transcription and translational levels post-NDV infection, which in turn is associated with the positive regulation of cellular protein deacetylation. A detailed mechanistic studyin vitroandin ovowas also carried out utilizing SIRT7 activity modulators to decipher the underlying role in infection, either constructive or destructive. Lastly, we concluded that the elevated expression of NDV-mediated SIRT7 protein with an enhanced activity metabolizes the NAD+to deacetylase the host proteins, thus contributing to high virus replication.

Importance

Although the instigation of oxidative stress during NDV infection has been reported several times, the cellular stress-responsive protein’s direct function in virus replication is yet to be well understood. This study highlights the plausible stress-responsive proteins involved in viral pathogenesis while exploring the detailed molecular mechanisms of crosstalk between the activated cellular protein and the progress of the NDV replication cycle. Moreover, previous studies describing how different viruses modulate cellular stress may not fully reflect the complete picture of viral strategies. Here, we demonstrate NDV-influenced active involvement of SIRT7 activity leading to the deacetylation of host proteins. It helped us better understand the virus’s strategies to generate its numerous copies while perturbing the host cell’s standard functionality and opening up new possibilities for infection interventions.
Auxin-inducible Degron (AID) to Dissect Kaposi’s Sarcoma associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) LANA protein function
Authors: Nakajima Ken-ichi , Espera Jonna Magdallene , Izumiya Yoshihiro
Published: October 2022

Protein knock-down with an inducible degradation system is a powerful tool to study proteins of interest in living cells. Here, we adopted the auxin-inducible degron (AID) approach to detail Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) function in latency maintenance and inducible viral lytic gene expression. We fused the mini-AID (mAID) tag at the LANA N-terminus with KSHV BAC16 recombination, and iSLK cells were stably infected with the recombinant KSHV encoding mAID-tagged LANA. Incubation with 5-phenyl-indole-3-acetic acid (5-Ph-IAA), a derivative of natural auxin, rapidly degraded LANA protein within 1.5 hours. In contrast to our hypothesis, depletion of LANA not only failed to trigger lytic reactivation but rather decreased inducible lytic gene expression when we triggered reactivation with a combination of ORF50 protein expression and sodium butyrate treatment. Decreased overall lytic gene induction seemed to associate with a rapid loss of KSHV genomes in the absence of LANA. Furthermore, we found that small cell fractions harbor non-depletable LANA dots in the presence of 5-Ph-IAA. In the cell population containing degradation-resistant LANA, induction of lytic reactivation was strongly attenuated. These results suggest that (i) there are at least two populations of LANA dots in cells, (ii) local nuclear environment and its epigenetic effects on the episomes are heritable to daughter cells; this biological had substantial effects in degree of KSHV reactivation, and finally (iii) LANA may have an additional function in protecting KSHV episomes from degradation.

IMPORTANCE

KSHV LANA protein plays a wide variety of roles in latency maintenance and lytic gene expression. We adapted the inducible protein knockdown approach to examine its role directly, and revealed that there are cell populations that possess viral episomes insensitive to reactivation stimuli. Viral reactivation is known to be highly heterogenic, and our observations suggest that LANA tethering sites on host chromatin may play a critical role in determining diverse responsiveness to the stimuli. We also demonstrated that depletion of LANA leads to rapid reduction of viral genome, which suggests that LANA might be actively protecting latent viral genome from degradation. These results add novel insights into the role of LANA in latency maintenance and regulation of lytic reactivation.