bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning From the Lived Experiences of People With Opioid Use Disorder
Authors: Manganti Jamie K. , Mahmoud Khadejah F. , Mitchell Ann M. , Germack Hayley D.
Published: September 2021

Background

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a national public health crisis causing more than 130 daily deaths and costing over $78 billion annually. Medication-assisted treatment is one of the available treatments for OUD. However, stigma associated with opioid use is a main barrier to patients’ access to treatment and recovery. It is critical to address OUD-related stigma and its impact on interdisciplinary undergraduate students’ knowledge and attitudes.

Objective

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the impact of a recovery-oriented educational intervention highlighting individuals who have lived experiences with OUD to address OUD-related stigma among undergraduate students.

Methods

A pretest–posttest design was utilized. Before and after this intervention, students received a questionnaire derived from three established tools related to exposure, personal stigma, and perceptions of public stigma toward opioids and people who use them. These categories were also assessed qualitatively using open-ended questions.

Results

Nine students completed the pretest and posttest. Overall, there were small positive changes in students’ personal stigma and public stigma perceptions. Students displayed prior knowledge and exposure to people with OUD through clinical experience, personal relationships, and the media.

Conclusion

Further studies should evaluate the impact of learning from the lived experiences of individuals with OUD on larger undergraduate student populations with the goal of incorporating these educational interventions utilizing lived experiences in college-level curriculum.
Effectiveness of a Nurse-Led Web-Based Health Management in Preventing Women With Gestational Diabetes From Developing Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: SU Mei-Chen , CHAO An-Shine , CHANG Min-Yu , CHANG Yao-Lung , CHEN Chien-Lan , SUN Jui-Chiung
Published: September 2021

Background

Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome (MS). However, the effectiveness of web-based health management in preventing women at high risk of GDM from developing MS has rarely been studied.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal effects of nurse-led web-based health management on maternal anthropometric, metabolic measures, and neonatal outcomes.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted from February 2017 to February 2018, in accordance with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines. Data were collected from 112 pregnant women at high risk of GDM who had been screened from 984 potential participants in northern Taiwan. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 56) or the control group (n = 56). The intervention group received a 6-month nurse-led, web-based health management program as well as consultations conducted via the LINE mobile app. Anthropometric and metabolic measures were assessed at baseline (Time 0, prior to 28 weeks of gestation), Time 1 (36–40 weeks of gestation), and Time 2 (6–12 weeks of postpartum). Maternal and neonatal outcomes were assessed at delivery. Clinical trial was registered.

Results

Analysis using the general estimating equation models found that anthropometric and metabolic measures were significantly better in the intervention group than the control group and varied with time. At Time 1, the levels of diastolic pressure (β = −4.981, p = .025) and triglyceride (TG; β = −33.69, p = .020) were significantly lower in the intervention group than the control group, and at Time 2, the incidence of MS in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group (χ2 = 6.022, p = .014). The number of newborns with low birth weight in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group (χ2 = 6.729, p = .012).

Conclusion/Implications for Practice

This nurse-led, web-based health management was shown to be effective in improving MS outcomes and may play an important role and show feasible clinical value in changing the current pregnancy care model.
Interreader agreement in evaluation of 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT at the time of initial staging: comparison of the three evaluation criteria in the pretreatment risk groups
Authors: Karahan Şen Nazli Pinar , Aksu Ayşegül , Bozkurt Ozan , Tuna Emine Burçin , Çapa Kaya Gamze
Published: September 2021

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the interreader agreement in evaluation 68Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT according to three current criteria European association of nuclear medicine, PROMISE with miTNM, and PSMA-RADS in newly diagnosed prostate cancer (PC) patients.

Methods

The images of 101 patients who had been diagnosed with PC and underwent 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT at the time of initial staging were evaluated according to the three interpretation criteria by two nuclear medicine specialists. Local tumor, pelvic lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis were evaluated separately. Abdominal lymph nodes, bone and visceral organ metastases were additionally evaluated as subregions of distant metastatic sites. Patients were evaluated in subgroups Gleason score ≥8 or prostate-specific antigen ≥20 ng/mL as the high-risk group (HR) and prostate-specific antigen ≤ 20 ng/mL and Gleason score <8 as the low-risk group (LR). To measure interreader agreement for each judgment site Cohen’s Kappa statistic coefficient (κ) was calculated.

Results

All three criteria European association of nuclear medicine, PROMISE with miTNM and PSMA-RADS exhibit substantial and almost perfect agreement between the readers in all sites except for PSMA-RADS in bone and visceral metastasis (κ = 0.495, κ = 0.506, respectively). According to the risk groups, a remarkable difference in interreader agreement for bone metastasis for all three criteria (especially in PSMA-RADS) between the HR and LR patients was detected.

Conclusions

In low-risk patients especially PSMA-RADS criteria leads to increased interreader reporting differences. While evaluating 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT images it should be considered that pretreatment risk levels of PC patients could affect the interreader agreement.
Comparison of Static Retinal Vessel Caliber Measurements by Different Commercially Available Platforms
Authors: French Christian , Heitmar Rebekka
Published: September 2021

SIGNIFICANCE

Commercially available platforms show good agreement in clinical outcomes for retinal vessel caliber measurements, despite differing absolute values. Tighter agreement is observed when right and left eye data are averaged, suggesting an approach suitable for clinical practice.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to compare the retinal vessel caliber measurements generated by different commercially available platforms and their associations with systemic blood pressure and age.

METHODS

A total of 209 participants were recruited from a UK optometric practice. After a routine eye examination, participants had disc-centered retinal photographs and systemic blood pressure taken. Retinal vessel calibers (central retinal artery equivalent, central retinal vein equivalent, and arteriovenous ratio) were calculated using both MONA REVA and VesselMap.

RESULTS

An inverse Pearson correlation was observed between central retinal artery equivalent and mean arterial blood pressure on both platforms (r = −0.275 [P ≤ .001] and r = −0.388 [P ≤ .001] for MONA REVA and VesselMap, respectively); this correlation was also observed with arteriovenous ratio and blood pressure. An inverse correlation was observed between central retinal artery equivalent and age (r = −0.362 [P ≤ .001] and r = −0.404 [P ≤ .001] for MONA REVA and VesselMap, respectively); this was also seen between central retinal vein equivalent and age (r = −0.322 [P ≤ .001] and r = −0.369 [P ≤ .001]). Arteriovenous ratio remained independent from age for both platforms. Bland-Altman plots demonstrated good agreement between the platforms for all three variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Although absolute caliber measurements differed between the platforms, the correlations observed were of similar magnitudes, with good agreement between the two platforms. Tighter spaced limits of agreement were observed when right and left eye data were averaged for each subject. In the absence of localized ocular pathology, this approach should be used.
Disparities in Pediatric Emergency Department Length of Stay and Utilization Associated With Primary Language
Authors: Lowe Jeremiah T. , Monteiro Kristina A. , Zonfrillo Mark R.
Published: September 2021

Objective

The aim of the study was to investigate the association between primary language and length of stay (LOS) in the pediatric emergency department (ED) within the context of known disparities impacting healthcare experiences and outcomes for patients with language barriers.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of consecutive encounters of patients presenting to, and discharged from, an urban pediatric ED from May 2015 through April 2018. Encounters were grouped into English primary language (EPL), Spanish (SPL), and other (OPL). Mean LOS comparisons were stratified by Emergency Severity Index (ESI). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the relationship between LOS and variables, including age, sex, race/ethnicity, insurance, and time of presentation.

Results

A total of 139,163 encounters were included. A higher proportion of SPL and OPL encounters were characterized as lower ESI acuity compared with EPL. Significantly longer LOS for SPL and OPL encounters was observed in the 2 lower acuity strata. The ESI 4–5 stratum demonstrated the greatest LOS disparity between EPL, SPL, and OPL (94 vs 103 vs 103 minutes, respectively, P < 0.001). In the highest acuity stratum, ESI 1–2, there was a nonsignificant trend toward longer LOS among EPL encounters (P = 0.08). The multivariate model accounted for 24% of LOS variance, but effect sizes were small for all variables except for ESI and age.

Conclusions

Patients with Spanish or other non-EPL who were triaged to lower acuity ESI levels experienced longer LOS in the pediatric ED than English-speaking counterparts. They also used the ED more frequently for low acuity issues, possibly reflecting disparities in access to primary care.
Therapeutic Response Assessment of High-Grade Gliomas During Early-Phase Drug Development in the Era of Molecular and Immunotherapies
Authors: Ellingson Benjamin M. , Wen Patrick Y. , Cloughesy Timothy F.
Published: September 2021

Several new therapeutic strategies have emerged over the past decades to address unmet clinical needs in high-grade gliomas, including targeted molecular agents and various forms of immunotherapy. Each of these strategies requires addressing fundamental questions, depending on the stage of drug development, including ensuring drug penetration into the brain, engagement of the drug with the desired target, biologic effects downstream from the target including metabolic and/or physiologic changes, and identifying evidence of clinical activity that could be expanded upon to increase the likelihood of a meaningful survival benefit. The current review article highlights these strategies and outlines how imaging technology can be used for therapeutic response evaluation in both targeted and immunotherapies in early phases of drug development in high-grade gliomas.
The Challenges and Future of Immunotherapy for Gliomas
Authors: Wu Adela , Lim Michael
Published: September 2021

Gliomas and glioblastoma comprise the majority of brain malignancies and are difficult to treat despite standard of care and advances in immunotherapy. The challenges of controlling glioma growth and recurrence involve the uniquely immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and systemic blunting of immune responses. In addition to highlighting key features of glioma and glioblastoma composition and immunogenicity, this review presents several future directions for immunotherapy, such as vaccines and synergistic combination treatment regimens, to better combat these tumors.
Hemodialysis Bleeding Events and Deaths: An 18-Year Retrospective Analysis of Patient Safety and Root Cause Analysis Reports in the Veterans Health Administration
Authors: Walton Edward , Charles Maureen , Morrish Wendy , Soncrant Christina , Mills Peter , Gunnar William
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Eighteen years of patient safety (PS) and root cause analysis reports for hemodialysis bleeding events and deaths in the Veterans Health Administration were analyzed with dual purpose: to determine the impact of a 2008 Veterans Health Administration Patient Safety Advisory on event reporting rates and to identify actions to mitigate risk and inform policy.

Methods

From 2002 to 2020, 281 bleeding events (248 PS reports and 33 root cause analyses) including 14 deaths during hemodialysis treatments were identified. Events were characterized by the type of vascular access, patient mental status, and whether the access site was visible or obscured from view by staff.

Results

Of the 281 bleeding events reviewed, 188 (67%) were unwitnessed and 54 (19%) were associated with an alteration in mental status. Most deaths (n = 11; 79%) were associated with central venous catheter access. Root cause analyses reported 83 root causes, of which 33% identified physical barriers to direct observation or an equipment issue.

Action plans addressed policy/procedures (30%), training/education (20%), and changes to environment/equipment (19%). Patient Safety Advisory publication was associated with a significant increase in low-harm PS reports, from 9 to 18 per year (P = 0.001).

Conclusions

Bleeding events during hemodialysis treatments occur and may be fatal. Heightened vigilance is required when physical barriers obscure continuous direct observation, the patient exhibits an altered mental status, and vascular access is through a central venous catheter.

Provider staff should consider a safety checklist and training on equipment operation. Patient Safety Advisory publication was associated with increased low-harm event reporting.
You’re Worried, We’re Listening: Online Testing of the Effectiveness of Education Materials to Improve Consumer Knowledge and Confidence in Reporting Patient Deterioration
Authors: King Lindy , Ullah Shahid , Belan Ingrid , Clark Robyn A. , Young Tom , Grantham Hugh , Peacock Guy , Kidd Michael R.
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Early identification of patient deterioration in hospital is important to reduce mortality, avoidable morbidity, length of stay, and associated healthcare costs. By closely observing physical and behavioral changes, deteriorating patients are more likely to be identified. Patients and family at the bedside can play an important role in reporting deterioration if made aware of how to do so. Therefore, the objective of this study was to undertake an online evaluation of educational materials designed to improve consumers’ knowledge and confidence to report patient deterioration.

Methods

A convenience sample was used to recruit community-based participants for an online survey. A self-designed validated instrument was used to undertake a preintervention and postintervention test involving 3 types of educational materials. Quantitative data were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed rank test to compare participants’ knowledge and confidence before and after exposure to the intervention. Conventional content analyses examined responses on key messages and recommendations to improve the educational materials.

Results

A total of 84 respondents completed both prequestionnaires and postquestionnaires. After exposure to the education materials, analyses confirmed that knowledge and confidence scores were significantly higher than baseline measures. Content analyses indicated a clear understanding of the key messages presented in the materials. Four main recommendations were made regarding the education materials.

Conclusions

Participants readily identified the key messages in the educational materials and demonstrated increased knowledge and confidence to report concerns about deterioration. Further research is required to determine the efficacy of the educational materials in relation to consumer behavior.
Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion Training Reduces Use of Midline Catheters in Hospitalized Patients With Difficult Intravenous Access
Authors: Amick Ashley E. , Feinsmith Sarah E. , Sell Jordan , Davis Evan M. , Wayne Diane B. , Feinglass Joseph , Barsuk Jeffrey H.
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Difficult intravenous (IV) access (DIVA) is a prevalent condition in the hospital setting and increases utilization of midline catheters (MCs) and peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs). Ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous (USGPIV) insertion is effective at establishing intravenous access in DIVA but remains understudied in the inpatient setting. We evaluated the effect of an USGPIV simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) curriculum for nurses on MC and PICC utilization for hospitalized patients.

Methods

We performed a quasi-experimental observational study. We trained nurses across all inpatient units at a large tertiary care hospital. We queried the electronic medical record to compare PICC and MC utilization for patients with DIVA during 3 periods: before USGPIV SBML training (control), during pilot testing of the intervention, and during the SBML intervention. To account for variations in insertion practices over time, we performed an interrupted time series (ITS) analysis between 2 periods, the combined control and pilot periods and the intervention period.

Results

One hundred forty-eight nurses completed USGPIV SBML training. Midline catheters inserted monthly per 1000 patient-days for DIVA decreased significantly from 1.86 ± 0.51 (control) to 2.31 ± 0.28 (pilot) to 1.33 ± 0.51 (intervention; P = 0.001). The ITS analysis indicated a significant intervention effect (P < 0.001). Peripherally inserted central catheters inserted monthly per 1000 patient-days for DIVA also significantly decreased over the study periods; however, the ITS failed to show an intervention effect as PICC insertions were already decreasing during the control period.

Conclusions

A hospital-wide USGPIV SBML curriculum for inpatient nurses was associated with a significant reduction in MCs inserted for DIVA.
Challenges and Barriers to Adverse Event Reporting in Clinical Trials: A Children’s Oncology Group Report
Authors: Miller Tamara P. , Marx Melissa Z. , Henchen Christopher , DeGroote Nicholas P. , Jones Sally , Weiland Jenny , Fisher Beth , Esbenshade Adam J. , Aplenc Richard , Dvorak Christopher C. , Fisher Brian T.
Published: September 2021

Objective

Adverse event (AE) reporting is crucial for determining safety of trials. Adverse events are captured manually by clinical research associates (CRAs) and research nurses (RNs), and prior studies show underreporting. It is necessary to understand AE reporting training, processes, and institution-level differences to improve AE capture.

Methods

A 26-item questionnaire regarding AE reporting training, identification, tracking, and challenges was distributed to all Children’s Oncology Group (COG) CRAs and RNs from February 15 to March 11, 2019, regardless of if they report AEs based on limitations of COG rosters. Results were tabulated. Institutions were grouped by self-reported full-time equivalents and compared using χ2 tests.

Results

Of 1315 CRAs and 2703 RNs surveyed, 509 (12.7%) responded. Of those, 369 (64.9%) representing 71.8% of COG institutions report AEs. Only data from respondents who report AEs were collected and analyzed. There was a range in AE training; COG training modules were most common (79.7%). There was wide variability in AE ascertainment; only 51.2% use standardized approaches at their site. There was no standard AE tracking method; larger sites more commonly use spreadsheets (P = 0.002) and smaller sites more commonly use paper (P = 0.028). The greatest AE reporting challenges were differences between protocols (70%) and between AE definitions and documentation (53%). Half of the respondents endorsed 6 of 13 proposed tools for improving reporting including online AE reporting modules (75.3%), tip sheets for interpreting Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events definitions (67.5%), and standardized AE tracking forms (66.9%). Only half of the respondents reported that all colleagues at their site followed the same AE reporting practices, and there was no dominant AE tracking approach across the respondents.

Discussion

There is wide variability in AE reporting training and practices. Numerous challenges exist, including differences between trials, challenges in interpreting AE definitions, and engaging clinicians.

Conclusions

Respondents are eager for additional central resources. These results provide a roadmap for areas of potential improvement.
What Severe Medication Errors Reported to Health Care Supervisory Authority Tell About Medication Safety?
Authors: Linden-Lahti Carita , Takala Anna , Holmström Anna-Riia , Airaksinen Marja
Published: September 2021

Objectives

This study investigated severe medication errors (MEs) reported to the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira) in Finland and evaluated how the incident documentation applies to learning from errors.

Methods

This study was a retrospective document analysis consisting of medication-related complaints and authoritative statements investigated by Valvira in 2013 to 2017 (n = 58).

Results

Medication errors caused death or severe harm in 52% (n = 30) of the cases (n = 58). The majority (83%; n = 48) of the incidents concerned patients older than 60 years. Most likely, the errors occurred in prescribing (n = 38; 47%), followed by administration (n = 15; 19%) and monitoring (n = 14; 17%). The error process often included many failures (n = 24; 41%) or more than one health professional (n = 16; 28%). Antithrombotic agents (n = 17; 13%), opioids (n = 10; 8%), and antipsychotics (n = 10; 8%) were the therapeutic groups most commonly involved in the errors. Almost all error cases (91%; n = 53) were assessed as likely or potentially preventable. In 60% (n = 35) of the cases, the organization reported actions taken to improve medication safety after the occurrence of the investigated incident.

Conclusions

Medication errors reported to the national health care supervisory authority provide a valuable source of risk information and should be used for learning from severe errors at the level of health care systems. High age remains a key risk factor to severe MEs, which may be associated with a wide range of medications including those not typically perceived as high-alert medications or high-risk administration routes. Despite being complex processes, the severe MEs have a great potential to lead to developing systems, processes, resources, and competencies of health care organizations.
Critical Care Simulation Education Program During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Leibner Evan S. , Baron Elvera L. , Shah Ronak S. , Philpotts Yoland , Sreeramoju Divya , Jawaid Yasir , DeVivo Anthony , Acquah Samuel , Hsieh Jean , Gidwani Umesh , Leibowitz Andrew B. , Katz Daniel , Kohli-Seth Roopa
Published: September 2021

Background

Coronaviruses are important emerging human and animal pathogens. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is responsible for the current global pandemic. Early in the course of the pandemic, New York City became one of the world’s “hot spots” with more than 250,000 cases and more than 15,000 deaths. Although medical providers in New York were fortunate to have the knowledge gained in China and Italy before it came under siege, the magnitude and severity of the disease were unprecedented and arguably under appreciated. The surge of patients with significant COVID-19 threatened to overwhelm health care systems, as New York City health systems realized that the number of specialized critical care providers would be inadequate. A large academic medical system recognized that rapid redeployment of noncritical providers into such roles would be needed. An educational gap was therefore identified: numerous providers with minimal critical care knowledge or experience would now be required to provide critical-level patient care under supervision of intensivists. Safe provision of such high level of patient care mandated the development of “educational crash courses.”

Methods

The purpose of this special article is to summarize the approach adopted by the Institute for Critical Care Medicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine’s Human Emulation, Education, and Evaluation Lab for Patient Safety and Professional Study Simulation Center in developing a training program for noncritical care providers in this novel disease.

Results

Using this joint approach, we were able to swiftly educate a wide range of nonintensive care unit providers (such as surgical, internal medicine, nursing, and advanced practice providers) by focusing on refreshing critical care knowledge and developing essential skillsets to assist in the care of these patients.

Conclusions

We believe that the practical methods reviewed here could be adopted by any health care system that is preparing for an unprecedented surge of critically ill patients.
The Impact of Incentive Spirometry on Shoulder Tip Pain in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Saremirad Mehrisadat , Yazdimoghaddam Hamideh , Dalili Amin , Rastaghi Sedighe
Published: September 2021

Background:

Shoulder pain is among the early postlaparoscopic symptoms related to carbon dioxide used for pneumoperitoneum, which remains in the abdominal cavity. Therefore, incentive spirometry (IS) is a novel technique to alleviate this pain following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). The present study was designed to investigate if the use of IS after LC would relieve shoulder tip pain, and determine the amount of postoperative opioid analgesics utilized.

Materials and Methods:

This randomized clinical trial was conducted on patients who were clinically diagnosed with cholecystitis, and underwent LC. Accordingly, group I patients (n=42) received IS (including 10 deep breaths with a spirometer in sitting or semisitting positions) in full consciousness every 2 hours starting at 2 hours after surgery, but group II patients (n=42) did not have respiratory physiotherapy. The postoperative shoulder pain after the surgery was further evaluated by a numerical rating scale (NRS).

Results:

At 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 hours following LC, the NRS pain scores significantly reduced in group I compared with group II. In addition, the results of the repeated measures analysis of variance indicated significantly lower NRS pain scores within the first 48 hours after LC in group I compared with group II. Consequently, the study findings showed a significantly higher percentage of cases in group II, requiring postoperative analgesics, in comparison with group I.

Conclusions:

IS decreased the severity of shoulder tip pain after LC with no complications. Thus, IS may be considered as a viable alternative to other laparoscopic interventions. However, still further studies are necessary to evaluate its efficacy compared with other techniques.
Healthcare Resource Utilization After Living Liver Donation: A Retrospective Case–Control Study
Authors: Im Hyunjae , Jang Eun Jin , Jo Junwoo , Choe Suk Hyung , Joo Somin , Lee Hannah , Oh Seung-Young , Hong Suk Kyun , Ryu Ho Geol
Published: September 2021

Background.

Living liver donation is generally considered safe, but donors may experience short- or long-term complications. The purpose of this study was to assess healthcare resource utilization after liver donation in living liver donors in comparison with the general population.

Methods.

Outpatient or emergency department visits and hospital admissions were compared between living liver donors who underwent hepatic resection for living liver donation between 2004 and 2018 and the matched general population. Healthcare resource utilization data for 5 y after liver donation were collected from the National Health Insurance Service database. For every living liver donor, 4 individually matched nondonors were selected from the National Health Insurance Service database using age, sex, preexisting comorbidities, and previous healthcare utilization history.

Results.

A total of 1886 living liver donors and 7309 nondonors were included. In the first year after donation, living liver donors required more outpatient department visits (7 [4–13] versus 3 [1–7], P < 0.001) and more emergency department visits (13.33% versus 0.15%, P < 0.001) compared with matched nondonors. A similar trend persisted for 5 y after donation. The number of hospital admissions of living liver donors was higher for up to 2 y after donation with longer hospital length of stay (13.0 [10.5–16.0] d versus 5.0 [3.0–9.0] d, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions.

Healthcare resource utilization in living liver donors for 5 y after donation was higher compared with matched nondonors. The higher healthcare resource demand may be related to postoperative complications or lowered threshold for healthcare resource utilization after donation.
Agromyces mariniharenae sp. nov., a novel indole-acetic acid producing actinobacterium isolated from marine sand
Authors: Zhang Yuting , Zhao Junwei , Hu Jiangmeihui , Han Chuanyu , Yu Bing , Wu Yan , Xiao Jialei , Wang Xiangjing , Xiang Wensheng
Published: September 2021

A Gram-positive, aerobic, heterotrophic, non-endospore-forming, rod-shaped and indole-acetic acid-producing strain, designated NEAU-184T, was isolated from marine sand collected in Sanya, PR China, and its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence data indicated that strain NEAU-184T should be assigned to the genus

Agromyces

and formed a distinct branch with its closest neighbour,

Agromyces iriomotensis

NBRC 106452T (99.1 %). 2,4-Diaminobutyric acid, d-alanine, d-glutamic acid and glycine were detected in cell-wall hydrolysate and glucose, rhamnose and xylose were detected in whole-cell hydrolysate. The polar lipids were found to contain diphosphatidylglycerol, glycolipid, phosphatidylglycerol and two unidentified lipids. The major menaquinone was MK-12 and the minor menaquinones were MK-13 and MK-11. The predominant fatty acids were anteiso-C17 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0. The DNA G+C content was 71.5 mol%. Furthermore, the strain could be clearly distinguished from its closely related type strains by the combination of DNA–DNA hybridization results and some phenotypic characteristics. Meanwhile, the strain has the ability to produce indole-acetic acid (0.334mg ml−1). Therefore, strain NEAU-184T represents a novel species of the genus

Agromyces

, for which the name Agromyces mariniharenae sp. nov. is proposed, with strain NEAU-184T (=CGMCC 4.7505T=JCM 32546T) as the type strain.
Studies on the redisual properties of pesticides during processing
of wheat, corn and cottonseed
Authors: Cho Mihyun , Lee Hyesu , Im Moo-Hyeog
Published: September 2021

Based on the pesticide standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex),
the processing factors (PFs) of 61 pesticides were investigated following
processing of wheat, corn, and cottonseed. In case of wheat processing, 33
pesticides exhibited PFs of <0.07-0.39 in white flour and 0.25-2.7
(approximately 2.5-18 times higher) in whole meal flour. Of the 19 pesticides
analyzed after corn processing, four pesticides (cyantraniliprole, dicamba,
prothioconazole, and dichlorvos) exhibited PFs of 0.27-0.58 in corn flour. The
PFs of six pesticides, including cyantraniliprole, were between <0.0058
and <0.28 after refined corn oil processing, indicating that ≥72%
of the pesticides were removed. The PFs of 34 pesticides after cottonseed
processing were 0.08-6.1 and <0.0038-3.0 in crude and refined oils,
respectively. Most pesticides were removed during refining stages, such as
alkali refining, bleaching, and deodorization. In conclusion, the amounts of
residual pesticide were considerably low when flour, oils, and other products
were produced after processing. In some cases, however, either only small
amounts of pesticides were removed or the pesticides were concentrated after
wheat, corn, and cottonseeds were processed for white and whole meal flour;
flour and refined oil; and refined oil, respectively.
Inhibitory effect of an antioxidant complex on the lipid oxidation
of freeze-dried convenience food
Authors: Jun Joon-Young , Jung Min-Jeong , Nam Jong-Woong , Nam Si-Yeal , Kim Byoung-Mok
Published: September 2021

This study was conducted to develop an antioxidant complex that inhibits lipid
oxidation of freeze-dried convenience food rich in animal resources. The
antioxidant capacities of various botanical extracts were evaluated, and those
of both 50% and 80% ethanolic extracts of green tea (GT50 and GT80) were found
to be the higher than those of other botanical extracts, although the capacity
of L-ascorbic acid used as comparative antioxidant was the highest
(p<0.05). A freeze-dried chicken soup was selected as the food model to
assess the effects of the antioxidant complex. The soup contained 3.47% lipid,
of which unsaturated fatty acids accounted for a high ratio. The inhibitory
effect of the GT50 extract on the oxidation of linoleic acid (LA) induced by
continuous heat treatment was evaluated. The oxidation value of LA without GT50
increased after 6 h and reached the maximum value at 12 h, while that of LA with
30 mg% GT50 or 7.5% L-ascorbic acid (Vt.C) were stable for 24 h. Since GT50
showed a synergistic effect with Vt.C at the mix ratio of 2:1 (W/W), the
antioxidant complex was developed through a combination of GT50 and Vt.C.
Characterization of annual average traffic-related air pollution levels (particle number, black carbon, nitrogen dioxide, PM2.5, carbon dioxide) in the greater Seattle area from a year-long mobile monitoring campaign
Authors: Blanco Magali N. , Gassett Amanda , Gould Timothy , Doubleday Annie , Slager David L. , Austin Elena , Seto Edmund , Larson Timothy , Marshall Julian , Sheppard Lianne
Published: September 2021

Growing evidence links traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) to adverse health effects. We designed an innovative and extensive mobile monitoring campaign to characterize TRAP exposure levels for the Adult Changes in Thought (ACT) study, a Seattle-based cohort. The campaign measured particle number concentration (PNC) to capture ultrafine particles (UFP), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and carbon dioxide (CO2) at 309 stop sites representative of the cohort. We collected about 29 two-minute visit measures at each site during all seasons, days of the week, and most times of day during a one-year period. Validation showed good agreement between our BC, NO2, and PM2.5 measurements and regulatory monitoring sites (R2 = 0.68-0.73). Universal kriging–partial least squares models of annual average pollutant concentrations had cross-validated mean square error-based R2 (and root mean square error) values of 0.77 (1,177 pt/cm3) for PNC, 0.60 (102 ng/m3) for BC, 0.77 (1.3 ppb) for NO2, 0.70 (0.3 µg/m3) for PM2.5, and 0.50 (4.2 ppm) for CO2. Overall, we found that the design of this extensive campaign captured the spatial pollutant variations well and these were explained by sensible land use features, including those related to traffic.

Synopsis

We develop well-performing, long-term average pollutant exposure prediction models for epidemiologic application from an innovative and extensive short-term mobile monitoring campaign.

Abstract Figure
Personal care formulations demonstrate virucidal efficacy against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern: implications for hand hygiene
Authors: Mukherjee Sayandip , Vincent Carol K. , Jayasekera Harshinie W. , Yekhe Ashish Shrikant
Published: September 2021

The second and third waves of COVID-19 pandemic have largely been driven by the surge of successive SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC). These VOC have rapidly spread through multiple geographies being enabled by high transmission rates and/or high viral load compared to the original parent strain. Consequently, the altered phenotypes of these VOC have posed greater challenges to diagnostic and clinical management of COVID-19. Despite considerable progress being made on vaccine roll out, practicing proper hand hygiene has been advocated as a consistent precautionary intervention as more virulent VOC continue to emerge and spread across geographies.

Two variants of concern, namely beta and delta, have recently been shown to escape antibody-mediated neutralization by virtue of acquired mutations in the receptor-binding domain of the viral spike protein which binds to the human ACE2 receptor for cellular entry. In this report we have empirically determined the efficacy of a range of personal care formulations in inactivating the beta and delta variants of SARS-CoV-2. High titres of these variants were exposed to marketed personal care formulations from Unilever under standard in-vitro suspension test-based conditions relevant to end-user habits. All the formulations demonstrated greater than 99.9% reduction in viral infective titres. The rate of inactivation by these products were comparable to that of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 virus tested under the same conditions. Therefore, it can be concluded that well-designed personal care formulations when tested under consumer-centric conditions, and with proven efficacy against the parent strain of SARS-CoV-2 will continue to be effective against extant and emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2. This is through their broad-spectrum mode of action (disruption of lipid bilayer of the host-derived viral envelope, denaturation of envelop and nucleocapsid proteins, and disruption of genome) which is independent of the escape mutations that facilitate immune evasion or enhanced transmissibility.
Proteomic analysis of coarse and fine skin tissues of Liaoning cashmere goat
Authors: Bai Zhixian , Xu Yanan , Gu Ming , Cai Weidong , Zhang Yu , Qin Yuting , Chen Rui , Sun Yinggang , Wu Yanzhi , Wang Zeying
Published: September 2021

Proteomics is the study of all proteins expressed by a cell or even an organism. However, knowledge of proteins that regulate the fineness of cashmere is limited. Liaoning Cashmere goat (LCG) is a valuable genetic resource of China. The skin samples of Liaoning cashmere goats during the growing period were collected performed Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) method and identified 117 differentially expressed proteins in CT_LCG (course type) and FT_LCG (fine type). To verify protein genes differentially expressed in LCG, we performed PRM validation on three candidate proteins (ALB, SDC1 and ITGB4) in CT-LCG and FT-LCG. Furthermore, primary metabolic process and lysosome are most enriched in the GO and KEGG pathways, respectively. In addition, we also derived a protein-protein interaction (PPI) regulatory network from the perspective of bioinformatics. This study sought to elucidate the molecular mechanism of differential proteins regulating cashmere fineness of Liaoning cashmere goats by using TMT quantitative proteomics analysis. Differentially expressed proteins ALB and SDC1 may regulate cashmere fineness, ITGB4 can be further studied as a promising protein. They can be used as key genes to lay a foundation for the study of cashmere fineness of Liaoning cashmere goats.
Predicting brain atrophy from tau pathology: A summary of clinical findings and their translation into personalized models
Authors: Schäfer Amelie , Chaggar Pavanjit , Thompson Travis B. , Goriely Alain , Kuhl Ellen ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: September 2021

For more than 25 years, the amyloid hypothesis-the paradigm that amyloid is the primary cause of Alzheimer’s disease-has dominated the Alzheimer’s community. Now, increasing evidence suggests that tissue atrophy and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease are more closely linked to the amount and location of misfolded tau protein than to amyloid plaques. However, the precise correlation between tau pathology and tissue atrophy remains unknown. Here we integrate multiphysics modeling and Bayesian inference to create personalized tau-atrophy models using longitudinal clinical images from the the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. For each subject, we infer three personalized parameters, the tau misfolding rate, the tau transport coefficient, and the tau-induced atrophy rate from four consecutive annual tau positron emission tomography scans and structural magnetic resonance images. Strikingly, the tau-induced atrophy coefficient of 0.13/year (95% CI: 0.097-0.189) was fairly consistent across all subjects suggesting a strong correlation between tau pathology and tissue atrophy. Our personalized whole brain atrophy rates of 0.68-1.68%/year (95% CI: 0.5-2.0) are elevated compared to healthy subjects and agree well with the atrophy rates of 1-3%/year reported for Alzheimer’s patients in the literature. Once comprehensively calibrated with a larger set of longitudinal images, our model has the potential to serve as a diagnostic and predictive tool to estimate future atrophy progression from clinical tau images on a personalized basis.
Using genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 to support contact tracing and public health surveillance in rural Humboldt County, California
Authors: Stoddard Gunnar , Black Allison , Ayscue Patrick , Lu Dan , Kamm Jack , Bhatt Karan , Chan Lienna , Kistler Amy L , Batson Joshua , Detweiler Angela , Tan Michelle , Neff Norma , DeRisi Joseph L , Corrigan Jeremy
Published: September 2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic within the United States, much of the responsibility for diagnostic testing and epidemiologic response has relied on the action of county-level departments of public health. Here we describe the integration of genomic surveillance into epidemiologic response within Humboldt County, a rural county in northwest California. Through a collaborative effort, 853 whole SARS-CoV-2 genomes were generated, representing ∼58% of the 1,449 SARS-CoV-2-positive cases detected in Humboldt County as of mid-March 2021. Phylogenetic analysis of these data was used to develop a comprehensive understanding of SARS-CoV-2 introductions to the county and to support contact tracing and epidemiologic investigations of all large outbreaks in the county. In the case of an outbreak on a commercial farm, viral genomic data were used to validate reported epidemiologic links and link additional cases within the community who did not report a farm exposure to the outbreak. During a separate outbreak within a skilled nursing facility, genomic surveillance data were used to rule out the putative index case, detect the emergence of an independent Spike:N501Y substitution, and verify that the outbreak had been brought under control. These use cases demonstrate how developing genomic surveillance capacity within local public health departments can support timely and responsive deployment of genomic epidemiology for surveillance and outbreak response based on local needs and priorities.
Individual differences in behavioral flexibility predict future volitional ethanol consumption in mice
Authors: Rodberg Ellen M , Vazey Elena M
Published: September 2021

Cognitive control is key to regulating alcohol intake and preventing relapse. Behavioral inflexibility can prevent adaptive strategies such as mindfulness or other relapse-prevention behaviors. In a mouse model we investigated whether individual variability in behavioral flexibility (using attentional set-shifting task; ASST) predicts future alcohol intake. Adult male and female C57BL/6J mice were subjected to ASST using a bowl digging paradigm where mice identify a baited bowl based on compound odor and textural cues. This was completed prior to any alcohol exposure. Individual performance across mice varied within the group. We integrated several metrics, specifically ASST stage completed, trials to completion and errors performed to produce an individual performance index measure of behavioral flexibility. After, ASST mice were trained to drink ethanol (15%, v/v, 1hr/day) for 3-4 weeks until intake stabilized. Using this prospective approach, we identified an inverse relationship between behavioral flexibility and drinking - less flexible mice had a propensity to consume more alcohol. Similar relationships have been identified previously in non-human primates and rats. Our results show that the relationship between alcohol and cognitive flexibility is a robust trait that is conserved across species and can be used in mice to study neural substrates underlying these behaviors.

HIGHLIGHTS

- ASST can be used to examine individual differences in cognitive function in mice

- Behavioral inflexibility is related to future higher alcohol consumption

- Executive function can be used as a predictive risk factor for alcohol intake

- This relationship in mice supports previous findings across species
The HDAC inhibitor CI-994 acts as a molecular memory aid by facilitating synaptic and intra-cellular communication after learning
Authors: Burns Allison M , Farinelli-Scharly Mélissa , Hugues-Ascery Sandrine , Sanchez-Mut Jose Vicente , Santoni Giulia , Gräff Johannes
Published: September 2021

Long-term memory formation relies on synaptic plasticity, activity-dependent transcription and epigenetic modifications. Multiple studies have shown that HDAC inhibitor (HDACi) treatments can enhance individual aspects of these processes, and thereby act as putative cognitive enhancers. However, their mode of action is not fully understood. In particular, it is unclear how systemic application of HDACis, which are devoid of substrate specificity, can target pathways that promote memory formation. In this study, we explore the electrophysiological, transcriptional and epigenetic responses that are induced by CI-994, a class I HDAC inhibitor, combined with contextual fear conditioning (CFC) in mice. We show that CI-994-mediated improvement of memory formation is accompanied by enhanced long-term potentiation in the hippocampus, a brain region recruited by CFC, but not in the striatum, a brain region not primarily implicated in contextual memory formation. Furthermore, using a combination of bulk and single cell RNA sequencing, we find that synaptic plasticity-promoting gene expression cascades are more strongly engaged in the hippocampus than in the striatum, but only when HDACi treatment co-occurred with CFC, and not by either treatment alone. Lastly, using ChIP-sequencing, we show that the combined action of HDACi application and conditioning is required to elicit enhancer histone acetylation in pathways that may underlie improved memory performance. Together, our results indicate that systemic HDACi administration amplifies brain-region specific processes that are naturally induced by learning. These findings shed light onto the mode of action of HDACis as cognitive enhancers.

Significance Statement

Memory formation relies on a plethora of functions, including epigenetic modifications. Over the past years, multiple studies have indicated the potential of HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) to act as cognitive enhancers, but their mode of action is not fully understood. Here, we tested whether HDACi treatment improves memory formation via “cognitive epigenetic priming”, stipulating that HDACis – without inherent target specificity – specifically enhance plasticity-related processes. We found that combining HDACi with fear learning, but not either treatment alone, enhances synaptic plasticity as well as memory-promoting transcriptional signaling in the hippocampus, a brain area known to be recruited by fear learning, but not in others. These results lend experimental support to the theory of “cognitive epigenetic priming”.