bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
0858 Under reporting of Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) in patients with predominant REM sleep disordered breathing on antidepressants
Authors: Reddy Pratap , Kahn Daron
Published: May 2022

Introduction

The prevalence of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) related Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) ranges from 13.5% to 36.7% in patients suspicious to have SDB.1 It is reported that patients with REM related SDB often have associated depression and are commonly on anti-depressants.2 Antidepressants suppress overall REM sleep duration. Significant sleep disordered breathing is known to occur during REM sleep. These patients commonly present with excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosis is often missed in these patients secondary to REM sleep suppression and subsequent underreporting of AHI.1. Conwell W, Patel B etal 2012 PMID: 21614575. 2. Geckil AA, Ermis H. 2020 PMID: 30949927.

Report of Cases: Case 1 is a 53-year-old obese white female with stable depression on citalopram 20mg presented with witnessed loud snoring and apneas, sleep onset and maintenance insomnia, daytime fatigue and hypersomnolence. Her Epworth Sleep Score (ESS) was 13/24. Her in lab baseline polysomnogram demonstrated overall AHI 3.8/hour and REM only AHI 24.3/hour. To further explore her persistent daytime sleepiness a Mean Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) was ordered. Citalopram was held 2 weeks prior to MSLT. In the PSG her overall AHI increased to 7.6/hour diagnosing her with mild OSA. PAP therapy was initiated that improved patients nocturnal sleep, daytime fatigue and hypersomnolence. Case 2 is a 54-year-old overweight white female with past medical history of chronic stable depression on Wellbutrin SR 100 mg daily presented with significant day time fatigue and hypersomnolence (ESS 15/24). Her baseline PSG reported AHI 1.7/hour with REM only AHI 10.7/hour. However due to persistent excessive daytime sleepiness MSLT was ordered. Her Wellbutrin was held 2 weeks prior to testing. Her overnight PSG demonstrated increase in her AHI to 7.9/hour and REM AHI to 34.2/hour. Mild obstructive sleep apnea was diagnosed, and PAP therapy was initiated that improved her hypersomnolence.

Conclusion

These cases illustrate that antidepressants likely mask obstructive sleep apnea by suppressing REM sleep. Given the underreported AHI in patients with REM SDB who are on anti-depressants it may be prudent to hold anti-depressants for 2 weeks to establish an accurate diagnosis of sleep apnea.

Support (If Any)
0862 A unique case of severe sleep onset and maintenance insomnia following COVID-19 vaccination
Authors: Aryal Shubekchha , Kramer Joshua , Azzouz Mouhannad , Stansbury Robert
Published: May 2022

Introduction

The COVID-19 vaccines have documented transient side effects, including injection site soreness, redness, headache, fatigue, and fever. In addition, there have been few reported long-term side effects, including Guillain-Barre, pericarditis, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. We present a rare case of severe insomnia as a long-term side effect following COVID-19 vaccination.

Report of Cases: A 59-year-old female with a past medical history of well-controlled hypothyroidism and migraine presented to the sleep center with four months of insomnia. She had a history of COVID infection in November 2020 with only mild symptoms of sore throat and fatigue. The patient finished her two-shot series of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in April 2021. Immediately following the vaccination, the patient had severe trouble falling and staying

asleep. Her insomnia was resistant to multiple medications including zolpidem Immediate-release(IR), Controlled-release(CR) formulas, zaleplon, eszopiclone, trazodone, melatonin, clonazepam, suvorexant, and lemborexant. However, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain imaging only showed nonspecific white matter disease. She had no mood disorders or psychosocial stressors, and the patient had excellent sleep hygiene measures. However,

insomnia caused severe impairment of her daily life activities to a point where she was almost

seeking inpatient admission for her insomnia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects on sleep have been significant, particularly insomnia. Prescriptions for sleep medications have increased. Many have attributed the rise of insomnia to pandemic-related stress, disturbance of circadian rhythm from home confinement, and worsening mental health.

Conclusion

To our knowledge, there have not been documented side effects of insomnia on the COVID-19 vaccines, with some studies suggesting sleep deprivation reducing their effectiveness. As vaccination efforts continue worldwide, awareness of side effects from vaccines is paramount for clinicians facing the challenges in patient care.This case demonstrates that chronic insomnia can be a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccines. Therefore, further surveillance of patients and side effects from COVID-19 vaccination is warranted as insomnia can have significant clinical and psychosocial consequences.

Support (If Any)
Sox9 and Lef1 Regulate the Fate and Behavior of Airway Glandular Progenitors in Response to Injury
Authors: Ievlev Vitaly , Jensen-Cody Chandler C , Lynch Thomas J , Pai Albert C , Park Soo , Shahin Weam , Wang Kai , Parekh Kalpaj R , Engelhardt John F
Published: May 2022

Cartilaginous airways of larger mammals and the mouse trachea contain at least 3 well-established stem cell compartments, including basal cells of the surface airway epithelium (SAE) and ductal and myoepithelial cells of the submucosal glands (SMG). Here we demonstrate that glandular Sox9-expressing progenitors capable of SAE repair decline with age in mice. Notably, Sox9-lineage glandular progenitors produced basal and ciliated cells in the SAE, but failed to produce secretory cells. Lef1 was required for glandular Sox9 lineage contribution to SAE repair, and its deletion significantly reduced proliferation following injury. By contrast, in vivo deletion of Sox9 enhanced proliferation of progenitors in both the SAE and SMG shortly following injury, but these progenitors failed to proliferate in vitro in the absence of Sox9, similar to that previously shown for Lef1 deletion. In cystic fibrosis ferret airways, Sox9 expression inversely correlated with Ki67 proliferative marker expression in SMG and the SAE. Using in vitro and ex vivo models, we demonstrate that Sox9 is extinguished as glandular progenitors exit ducts and proliferate on the airway surface and that Sox9 is required for migration and proper differentiation of SMG, but not surface airway, progenitors. We propose a model whereby Wnt/Lef1 and Sox9 signals differentially regulate the proliferative and migratory behavior of glandular progenitors, respectively.
Exploring the Influence of Experimental Design on Toxicity Outcomes in Zebrafish Embryo Tests
Authors: Hsieh Jui-Hua , Behl Mamta , Parham Frederick , Ryan Kristen
Published: May 2022

Compound toxicity data obtained from independent zebrafish laboratories can vary vastly, complicating the use of zebrafish screening for regulatory decisions. Differences in the assay protocol parameters are the primary source of variability. We investigated this issue by utilizing data from the NTP DNT-DIVER database (https://doi.org/10.22427/NTP-DATA-002-00062-0001-0000-1, last accessed June 2, 2022), which consists of data from zebrafish developmental toxicity (devtox) and locomotor response (designated as “neurotox”) screens from 3 independent laboratories, using the same set of 87 compounds. The data were analyzed using the benchmark concentration (BMC) modeling approach, which estimates the concentration of interest based on a predetermined response threshold. We compared the BMC results from 3 laboratories (A, B, C) in 3 toxicity outcome categories: mortality, cumulative devtox, and neurotox, in terms of activity calls and potency values. We found that for devtox screening, laboratories with similar/same protocol parameters (B vs C) had an active call concordance as high as 86% with negligible potency difference. For neurotox screening, active call concordances between paired laboratories are lower than devtox screening (highest 68%). When protocols with different protocol parameters were compared, the concordance dropped, and the potency shift was on average about 3.8-fold for the cumulative devtox outcome and 5.8-fold for the neurotox outcome. The potential contributing protocol parameters for potency shift are listed or ranked. This study provides a quantitative assessment of the source of variability in zebrafish screening protocols and sets the groundwork for the ongoing Systematic Evaluation of the Application of Zebrafish in Toxicology effort at the National Toxicology Program.
Characterization and computational simulation of human Syx, a RhoGEF implicated in glioblastoma
Authors: Boyd Ryan J. , Olson Tien L. , Zook James D. , Stein Derek , Aceves Manuel , Lin Wan‐Hsin , Craciunescu Felicia M. , Hansen Debra T. , Anastasiadis Panos Z. , Singharoy Abhishek , Fromme Petra
Published: May 2022

Structural discovery of guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) protein complexes is likely to become increasingly relevant with the development of new therapeutics targeting small GTPases and development of new classes of small molecules that inhibit protein‐protein interactions. Syx (also known as PLEKHG5 in humans) is a RhoA GEF implicated in the pathology of glioblastoma (GBM). Here we investigated protein expression and purification of ten different human Syx constructs and performed biophysical characterizations and computational studies that provide insights into why expression of this protein was previously intractable. We show that human Syx can be expressed and isolated and Syx is folded as observed by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and actively binds to RhoA as determined by co‐elution during size exclusion chromatography (SEC). This characterization may provide critical insights into the expression and purification of other recalcitrant members of the large class of oncogenic—Diffuse B‐cell lymphoma (Dbl) homology GEF proteins. In addition, we performed detailed homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulations on the surface of a physiologically realistic membrane. These simulations reveal novel insights into GEF activity and allosteric modulation by the plekstrin homology (PH) domain. These newly revealed interactions between the GEF PH domain and the membrane embedded region of RhoA support previously unexplained experimental findings regarding the allosteric effects of the PH domain from numerous activity studies of Dbl homology GEF proteins. This work establishes new hypotheses for structural interactivity and allosteric signal modulation in Dbl homology RhoGEFs.
Successful strategic planning
Authors: Orton Amber
Published: May 2022

5 ideas for engaging clinical nurses in the strategic planning process
Sequential Mediation of the Relation of Increased Physical Activity and Weight Loss by Mood and Emotional Eating Changes
Authors: Annesi James J. , Eberly Amelia A.
Published: May 2022

Psychological/behavioral correlates of weight loss, including emotional eating, require improved understandings. These might be especially useful in the context of community-based interventions. Women with obesity, enrolled in 6-month community-based weight loss treatments emphasizing either self-regulation (n = 54) or typical educational methods (n = 52), were evaluated on changes in physical activity/exercise, mood, emotional eating, and weight. Significant improvements on each measure were found in both groups, with significantly greater advances made in the self-regulation emphasis group. Using a lagged variable analytic framework, change in emotional eating significantly mediated physical activity → weight change (over both 6 and 12 months) relationships. Group membership moderated only the mood → emotional eating change relationship. Paths from changes in physical activity → mood → emotional eating → weight were significant, with no alternate path reaching significance. Group was not a significant moderator. Identified paths from physical activity to weight loss, through sequential changes in mood and then emotional eating, should be leveraged to guide community-based weight management curricular development and application. Through such large-scale possibilities for dissemination, means for the reversal of the obesity epidemic could be made possible.
A Comparison of Haitian and American Bachelor of Science in Nursing Students' Perceptions of Cigarette Smoking and E-Cigarette Use
Authors: Ruffin Larider , Padden-Denmead Mary , Lewis Jack B. , Ekwegh Tavonia , Denning Shawn , Calimer Trevor , Crowell Tara
Published: May 2022

Cigarette smoking is a global health epidemic, and smoking along with electronic nicotine delivery systems use or vaping are on the rise. Despite the effectiveness of smoking cessation strategies, healthcare providers and nursing students do not routinely recommend these strategies for patients who are smokers. This study compares the perceptions of smoking and vaping between two groups of baccalaureate degree nursing students from Haiti and the United States. The study was influenced by contemporary and past studies showing that more young people are drawn into smoking and vaping despite the prevalence of antismoking policies and awareness campaigns. In this descriptive study, surveys were used to collect data to determine the differences between the two country's nursing students on their perception of smoking and vaping. The findings indicated that, despite greater usage, the students from the United States had a higher perception of the health implications of cigarette smoking and vaping compared with those from Haiti. On the basis of the findings of this study, collaborative pedagogical research opportunities among international nursing education programs can further curriculum development to foster growth and development of future global health practitioners.
Developing a Diversity, Equity, and Civility Council to Advance Health Equity in Nursing Academia and Practice
Authors: Lee Shirleatha , Miller Kristi
Published: May 2022

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) recently released the Future of Nursing 2020-2030 focused on charting a path to achieve health equity. This article focuses on the critical role of nursing education in this call for action. Most specifically, we provide an overview of the process of developing a diversity, equity, and civility council in a school of nursing to promote equity, inclusivity, and diversity grounded in social justice within the culture of the school for faculty, staff, and students. In addition, we describe the council's work to date highlighting goals and the council's plans for future work based on data-driven processes.
INNOVATE
Authors: Giuliano Karen K. , Sup Frank C. , Benjamin Ellen , Krishnamurty Sundar
Published: May 2022

A new certificate program has been designed that augments the traditional undergraduate nursing education with a curriculum of innovation and entrepreneurship. The goal of the Integrated Innovation & Entrepreneurship Certificate in Nursing Program (INNOVATE) is to empower nurses to collaboratively solve health care challenges and become thought leaders in health care products, technologies, and processes, as well as service and delivery methods, with a particular focus on the needs of vulnerable populations. Toward this goal, INNOVATE is built on an integrative, immersive curriculum, experiential learning, intentional cohort building, peer and faculty support, real-world connections, and the prioritization of diversity, inclusivity, and equity to build of a cohort of nursing students ready for careers in clinical and health care innovation. In this article, we provide the outline for the proposed curriculum, program strategies, anticipated outcomes, and evaluation criteria that we believe can serve as a national model for innovation and entrepreneurship in undergraduate nursing education.
Pediatric Physical Therapists' Perceptions of Telehealth Continuation Post-pandemic: A Thematic Analysis of Open-Ended Survey Responses
Authors: Hall Jamie B. , Luechtefeld Jessica T. , Woods Morgan L.
Published: May 2022

Purpose:

To explore pediatric physical therapists' (PTs) perceptions about continuing telehealth services post-pandemic.

Methods:

Two open-ended questions from a larger survey were analyzed using a pragmatic application of thematic analysis.

Results:

Two hundred two pediatric PTs in the United States responded. Themes included Telehealth During COVID-19, Benefits, Drawbacks, and Recommendations. Telehealth During COVID-19 acknowledged adopting and providing telehealth during a global pandemic was likely different than at other times. Benefits described perceived positive aspects of telehealth for children, families, and PTs, which support continuation of telehealth post-pandemic. Drawbacks described perceived negative aspects of telehealth for children, families, and PTs, which may dissuade continuation. Recommendations described respondents' recommendations for the continuation of telehealth. Ultimately respondents recommended a hybrid model of telehealth and in-person services going forward.

Conclusions:

A hybrid model of telehealth and in-person services may have the benefits of increasing access, flexibility, efficiency, communication, and home programming across pediatric practice settings.
The Effect of an Overnight Summer Camp on the Quality of Life for Individuals Who Require Ventilatory Support
Authors: Price Jennifer , Lausch Mackenzie , McDowell Lily , Orlando Catherine , Raughley Alyssa , Swank Connor , Creath Robert , Miller Tonya Y.
Published: May 2022

Purpose:

Summer camps are a modality that addresses barriers to social interaction. Although there is a growing amount of evidence supporting camps for individuals with chronic illness, there is no known research on camp experiences for those who require ventilatory support. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of attending camp on self-esteem, social functioning, emotional functioning, and physical functioning for individuals who require ventilatory support.

Methods:

Eleven participants completed the Pediatric Camp Outcome Measure via an online survey.

Results:

This study found positive correlations between the number of years an individual attended the camp and his or her overall Pediatric Camp Outcome Measure score, as well as social functioning and physical functioning subscales. This study found positive correlations with questions in all subscales with the number of years attending camp.

Conclusion:

Findings suggest that attending summer camp may positively impact the quality of life for individuals who require ventilatory support.
Characterizing Pain Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita
Authors: Sions Jaclyn Megan , Donohoe Maureen , Beisheim-Ryan Emma Haldane , Pohlig Ryan Todd , Shank Tracy Michele , Nichols Louise Reid
Published: May 2022

Purpose:

Primary study objectives were to (a) characterize pain and explore differences between adolescents and adults with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) and (b) evaluate associations between pain-related outcomes and mobility.

Methods:

People who can walk and with AMC completed pain-related questionnaires.

Results:

Sixty-three participants (28 adolescents and 35 young adults) were recruited. Pain was reported in the past week by 81% of participants; intensity ratings were similar between age groups. Per the McGill Pain Questionnaire, pain severity was significantly lower among adolescents. Adults had a greater number of painful regions compared with adolescents. Greater 7-day average pain intensity, McGill Pain Questionnaire scores, and number of painful regions were associated with reduced functional mobility.

Conclusions:

As most adolescents and young adults with AMC have at least mild pain, and pain is associated with mobility, future longitudinal investigations of pain and its functional consequences are warranted.
A Survey of Parents' and Carers' Perceptions of Parenting a Child With Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip
Authors: Harry Ashley , Johnston Catherine , Twomey Sarah , Wakely Luke
Published: May 2022

Purpose:

To explore parents' and carers' perceptions of parenting a child with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of a questionnaire of parents and carers of children with hip dysplasia. Data analysis was guided by qualitative content analysis.

Results:

There were 753 responses describing a range of parenting experiences. Three themes emerged: arduous parenting, detailed the parenting challenges, both practical and emotional posed by the management of DDH; insufficient understanding, described the social disconnection experienced by the respondents due to a lack of empathy from others; inconsistent guidance, encompassed respondents' reliance on health professionals for information and support, yet frustration at variability in the management of DDH.

Conclusions:

Overall, having to care for a child with DDH has a negative effect on the practice of parenting. Health professionals can support parenting and provide consistent education to assist parents' understanding of the complex nature of DDH management. What this study adds to the evidence: Despite a good prognosis, the diagnosis of hip dysplasia has a negative effect on of parenting. Parents and carers of children with hip dysplasia rely on the support of health professionals but find the associated loss of parenting autonomy distressing.
Free-Breathing Low-Field MRI of the Lungs Detects Functional Alterations Associated With Persistent Symptoms After COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Lévy Simon , Heiss Rafael , Grimm Robert , Grodzki David , Hadler Dominique , Voskrebenzev Andreas , Vogel-Claussen Jens , Fuchs Florian , Strauss Richard , Achenbach Susanne , Hinsen Maximilian , Klett Daniel , Schmid Jonas , Kremer Andreas E. , Uder Michael , Nagel Armin M. , Bickelhaupt Sebastian
Published: May 2022

Objectives

With the COVID-19 pandemic, repetitive lung examinations have become necessary to follow-up symptoms and associated alterations. Low-field MRI, benefiting from reduced susceptibility effects, is a promising alternative for lung imaging to limit radiations absorbed by patients during CT examinations, which also have limited capability to assess functional alterations. The aim of this investigative study was to explore the functional abnormalities that free-breathing 0.55 T MRI in combination with the phase-resolved functional lung (PREFUL) analysis could identify in patients with persistent symptoms after COVID-19 infection.

Materials and Methods

Seventy-four COVID-19 patients and 8 healthy volunteers were prospectively scanned in free-breathing with a balanced steady-state free-precession sequence optimized at 0.55 T, 5 months postinfection on average. Normalized perfusion (Q), fractional ventilation (FV), and flow-volume loop correlation (FVLc) maps were extracted with the PREFUL technique. Q, FV, and FVLc defects as well as defect overlaps between these metrics were quantified. Morphological turbo-spin-echo images were also acquired, and the extent of abnormalities was scored by a board-certified radiologist. To investigate the functional correlates of persistent symptoms, a recursive feature elimination algorithm was applied to find the most informative variables to detect the presence of persistent symptoms with a logistic regression model and a cross-validation strategy. All MRI metrics, sex, age, body mass index, and the presence of preexisting lung conditions were included.

Results

The most informative variables to detect persistent symptoms were the percentage of concurrent Q and FVLc defects and of areas free of those defects. A detection accuracy of 71.4% was obtained with these 2 variables when fitting the model on the entire dataset. Although none of the single variables differed between patients with and without persistent symptoms (P > 0.05), the combined score of these 2 variables did (P < 0.02). This score also showed a consistent increase from healthy volunteers (7.7) to patients without persistent symptoms (8.2) and with persistent symptoms (8.6). The morphological abnormality score showed poor correlation with the functional parameters.

Conclusions

Functional pulmonary examinations using free-breathing 0.55 T MRI with PREFUL analysis revealed potential quantitative markers of impaired lung function in patients with persistent symptoms after COVID-19 infection, potentially complementing morphologic imaging. Future work is needed to explore the translational relevance and clinical implication of these findings.
New updates on transcranial magnetic stimulation in chronic pain
Authors: Fernandes Ana Mércia , Graven-Nielsen Thomas , de Andrade Daniel Ciampi
Published: May 2022

Purpose of review

Chronic pain is the most prevalent symptomatic disease worldwide. Nonpharmacological interventions, such as noninvasive neuromodulation (NIN), have gained scientific evidence to support their use as an add-on strategy to pharmacological pain management. The most studied NIN technique is repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). This review aims to identify the current indications for rTMS in the treatment of chronic pain and its new perspectives.

Recent findings

High-frequency rTMS delivered to the primary motor cortex (M1) is currently a treatment strategy with the most literature support for decreased pain intensity and alleviation of associated symptoms in peripheral neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia and migraine. It has been shown that stimulation sessions are well tolerated and tolerable, and the effects of daily stimulation sessions can be prolonged by spaced maintenance stimulation sessions. Despite its efficacy, some individuals will not respond to rTMS targeted to M1. Lines of research are currently being developed to improve rTMS efficacy either by exploring new therapeutic targets, using novel stimulation parameters or more comprehensively profiling patients who are likely to respond to this treatment modality.

Noninvasive brain stimulation for chronic TMS pain is a well tolerated and reasonable add-on treatment approach for pain syndromes such as neuropathic pain, migraine and fibromyalgia. Strategies to improve its efficacy are an active field of research.
Clinical Screening for Posterior Cortical Atrophy
Authors: Mendez Mario F. , Khattab Youssef I. , Yerstein Oleg
Published: May 2022

Background:

Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a progressive neurologic syndrome that presents with complex visual deficits. Although PCA is most commonly a form of Alzheimer disease (AD), its early diagnosis is usually delayed due to a lack of understanding for how best to clinically screen for the syndrome.

Objective:

To identify neurobehavioral screening tasks for PCA—beyond simple visual constructions—that can be administered in clinic or at bedside.

Method:

We compared the performance of 12 individuals who met neuroimaging-supported consensus criteria for PCA with that of 12 matched individuals with typical AD (tAD) and 24 healthy controls (HC) on clinic/bedside tasks measuring (a) complex figure copying, (b) Balint syndrome, (c) visual object agnosia, (d) color identification, (e) figure–ground discrimination, (f) global–local processing, (g) dressing apraxia, (h) ideomotor apraxia, and (i) Gerstmann syndrome.

Results:

All of the individuals with PCA were impaired on the figure–ground discrimination task compared with half of the tAD group and no HC. Approximately half of the PCA group had Balint syndrome, dressing apraxia, and ideomotor apraxia compared with none in the tAD group. Difficulty copying a complex figure, global–local processing impairment, and Gerstmann syndrome did not distinguish between the two dementia groups.

Conclusion:

The figure–ground discrimination task can be used successfully as an overall screening measure for PCA, followed by specific tasks for Balint syndrome and dressing and limb apraxia. Findings reinforce PCA as a predominant occipitoparietal disorder with dorsal visual stream involvement and parietal signs with spatiomotor impairments.
The characterization of Moraxella catarrhalis carried in the general population
Authors: Morris Denise E. , Osman Karen L. , Cleary David W. , Clarke Stuart C.
Published: May 2022

Moraxella catarrhalis

is a common cause of respiratory tract infection, particularly otitis media in children, whilst it is also associated with the onset of exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults. Despite the need for an efficacious vaccine against

M. catarrhalis

, no candidates have progressed to clinical trial. This study, therefore, aimed to characterize the diversity of

M. catarrhalis

isolated from the upper respiratory tract of healthy children and adults, to gain a better understanding of the epidemiology of

M. catarrhalis

and the distribution of genes associated with virulence factors, to aid vaccine efforts. Isolates were sequenced and the presence of target genes reported. Contrary to prevailing data, this study found that lipooligosaccharide (LOS) B serotypes are not exclusively associated with 16S type 1. In addition, a particularly low prevalence of LOS B and high prevalence of LOS C serotypes was observed.

M. catarrhalis

isolates showed low prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and a high gene prevalence for a number of the target genes investigated: ompB2 (also known as copB), ompCD, ompE, ompG1a, ompG1b, mid (also known as hag), mcaP, m35, tbpA, lbpA, tbpB, lbpB, msp22, msp75 and msp78, afeA, pilA, pilQ, pilT, mod, oppA, sbp2, mcmA and mclS.
Sexually transmitted infection risks and symptoms among women who started selling sex before the age of 18 in five cities in Cameroon
Authors: Grosso Ashley , Bowring Anna L. , Njindam Iliassou Mfochive , Decker Michele R. , Lyons Carrie , Rao Amrita , Tamoufe Ubald , Fako Guy H. , Fouda Ghislaine , Levitt Daniel , Turpin Gnilane , Billong Serge C. , Bissek Anne Cécile Zoung-Kanyi , Njoya Oudou , Baral Stefan
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Many adolescents under 18 years old who sell sex are at elevated risk for sexually transmitted infection (STI) acquisition, which may persist into adulthood. There has been limited study of the burden of the risks and vulnerabilities among women who started selling sex as adolescents across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

Adult female sex workers (FSW) recruited through respondent-driven sampling in five cities in Cameroon from December 2015 to October 2016 completed a questionnaire and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis testing. Multivariable logistic regression analysis controlling for age was used to identify factors associated with reporting selling sex before age 18.

Results

Selling sex before age 18 was reported by 11.5% (256/2,220) of FSW. Initiation of selling sex as an adolescent was positively associated with experiencing dysuria (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]:1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.08-2.10) or genital warts (aOR:1.78, 95% CI:1.08-2.94) and negatively associated with prior recent testing for HIV (aOR:0.71, 95% CI:0.53-0.96) or STIs (aOR:0.65, 95% CI:0.44-0.96). Consistent condom use with clients was negatively associated with early initiation of selling sex (aOR:0.58, 95% CI:0.42-0.80), while experience of recent sexual violence was positively associated with early initiation (aOR:1.74, 95% CI:1.15-2.63). There were no independent significant differences in HIV (24.5%) or syphilis (8.4%) prevalence.

Conclusions

Given the limited use of HIV and STI testing services by women who sold sex as adolescents, the prevalence of forced sex, condomless sex, and STI symptoms were high. Programs serving FSW should more vigorously aim to serve adolescents and adults who began selling sex early.
A Role for Steroid 5 alpha-reductase 1 in Vascular Remodelling During Endometrial Decidualisation
Authors: Shaw I.W. , Kirkwood P.M. , Rebourcet D. , Cousins F.L. , Ainslie R.J. , Livingstone D.E.W. , Smith L.B. , Saunders P.T.K. , Gibson D.A.
Published: May 2022

Decidualisation is the hormone-dependent process of endometrial remodelling that is essential for fertility and reproductive health. It is characterised by dynamic changes in the endometrial stromal compartment including differentiation of fibroblasts, immune cell trafficking and vascular remodelling. Deficits in decidualisation are implicated in disorders of pregnancy such as implantation failure, intra-uterine growth restriction, and pre-eclampsia.

Androgens are key regulators of decidualisation that promote optimal differentiation of stromal fibroblasts and activation of downstream signalling pathways required for endometrial remodelling. We have shown that androgen biosynthesis, via 5α-reductase-dependent production of dihydrotestosterone, is required for optimal decidualisation of human stromal fibroblasts in vitro, but whether this is required for decidualisation in vivo has not been tested.

In the current study we used steroid 5α-reductase type 1 (SRD5A1) deficient mice (Srd5a1-/- mice) and a validated model of induced decidualisation to investigate the role of SRD5A1 and intracrine androgen signalling in endometrial decidualisation. We measured decidualisation response (weight/proportion), transcriptomic changes, and morphological and functional parameters of vascular development. These investigations revealed a striking effect of 5α-reductase deficiency on the decidualisation response. Furthermore, vessel permeability and transcriptional regulation of angiogenesis signalling pathways, particularly those that involved vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), were disrupted in the absence of 5α-reductase. In Srd5a1-/- mice, injection of dihydrotestosterone co-incident with decidualisation restored decidualisation responses, vessel permeability, and expression of angiogenesis genes to wild type levels.

Androgen availability declines with age which may contribute to age-related risk of pregnancy disorders. These findings show that intracrine androgen signalling is required for optimal decidualisation in vivo and confirm a major role for androgens in the development of the vasculature during decidualisation through regulation of the VEGF pathway. These findings highlight new opportunities for improving age-related deficits in fertility and pregnancy health by targeting androgen-dependent signalling in the endometrium.
Universal functions of prion candidates across all three domains of life suggest a primeval role of protein self-templating
Authors: Zajkowski Tomasz , Lee Michael D. , Sharma Siddhant , Vallota-Eastman Alec , Kuska Mikołaj , Malczewska Małgorzata , Rothschild Lynn J.
Published: May 2022

Amyloid-based prions have simple structures, a wide phylogenetic distribution, and a plethora of functions in contemporary organisms, suggesting they may be an ancient phenomenon. However, this hypothesis has yet to be addressed with a systematic, computational, and experimental approach. Here we present a framework to help guide future experimental verification of candidate prions with conserved functions in order to understand their role in the early stages of evolution and potentially in the origins of life. We identified candidate prions in all high-quality proteomes available in UniProt computationally, assessed their phylogenomic distributions, and analyzed candidate-prion functional annotations. Of the 27,980,560 proteins scanned, 228,561 were identified as candidate prions (∼0.82%). Among these candidates, there were 84 Gene Ontology (GO) terms conserved across the 3 domains of life. We found that candidate prions with a possible role in adaptation were particularly well-represented within this group. We discuss unifying features of candidate prions to elucidate the primeval roles of prions and their associated functions. Candidate prions annotated as transcription factors, DNA binding, and kinases are particularly well suited to generating diverse responses to changes in their environment and could allow for adaptation and population expansion into more diverse environments. We hypothesized that these functions could be evolutionarily ancient, even if individual prion domains themselves are not evolutionarily conserved. Candidate prions annotated with these universally-occurring functions potentially represent the oldest extant prions on Earth and are therefore excellent experimental targets.
The Effect of Perturbation Variability on Sensorimotor Adaptation Does Not Require an Implicit Memory of Errors
Authors: Wang Tianhe , Avraham Guy , Tsay Jonathan S. , Ivry Richard B.
Published: May 2022

In a recent paper1 entitled, “An implicit memory of errors limits human sensorimotor adaptation” Albert and colleagues presented a model in which the adaptive response of the sensorimotor system is flexibly modulated by recent experience, or what they refer to as a “memory of errors”. This hypothesis stands in contrast to prevailing models in which automatic and implicit responses to movement errors are relatively insensitive to the statistical properties of the environment2–6. A prime example of this rigidity is that the adaptation system exhibits a saturated response to large errors, resulting in a non-linear motor correction function, a feature that is independent of experience4,5,7. Here we show that the key results reported in Albert et al. are fully explained by presupposing this rigid “motor correction” function without reference to memory-dependent changes in error sensitivity. As such, the evidence presented in Albert et. al. does not support the claim that the history of errors modulates implicit adaptation.
Molecular Phylogeny of human adenovirus type 41 lineages
Authors: Götting Jasper , Cordes Anne K , Steinbrück Lars , Heim Albert
Published: May 2022

Type 41 of human adenovirus species F (HAdV-F41) is a frequent aetiology of gastroenteritis in children, and nosocomial as well as kindergarten outbreaks have been frequently described. In contrast to other HAdV types, HAdV-F41 was not associated with life-threatening disseminated disease in allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients or any severe organ infections so far. Due to the limited clinical significance, the evolution of HAdV-F41 has not been studied in detail. Recently, HAdV-F41 has been associated with severe hepatitis in young children, and interest in HAdV-F41 has skyrocketed, although the aetiology of the hepatitis has not been resolved.

Complete genomic HAdV-F41 sequences from 32 diagnostic specimens of the past 11 years (2011–2022) were generated, all originating from gastroenteritis patients. Additionally, 33 complete HAdV-F41 genomes from GenBank were added to our phylogenetic analysis.

Phylogenetic analysis of 65 genomes indicated that HAdV-F41 evolved with three lineages co-circulating. Lineage 1 included the prototype ‘Tak’ from 1973 and six isolates from 2007 to 2017 with an average nucleotide identity of 99.3 %. Lineage 2 included 53 isolates from 2000 to 2022, had an average nucleotide identity of 99.8 %, and split into two sublineages. Lineage 3, probably described for the first time in 2009, had a 45nt deletion in the long fiber gene and had evolved significantly in the short fiber and E3 region. Moreover, a recent lineage 3 isolate from 2022 had a recombinant phylogeny of the short fiber gene. Fibers interact with cellular receptors and determine cellular tropism, whereas E3 gene products interfere with the immune recognition of HAdV infected cells.

This in-depth study on the phylogeny of HAdV-F41 discovered significant evolution of recently described lineage 3 of HAdV-F41, possibly resulting in altered cellular tropism, virulence and pathophysiology.
vsRNAfinder: a novel method for identifying high-confidence viral small RNAs from small RNA-Seq data
Authors: Cai Zena , Fu Ping , Qiu Ye , Wu Aiping , Zhang Gaihua , Wang Yirong , Jiang Taijiao , Ge Xing-Yi , Zhu Haizhen , Peng Yousong
Published: May 2022

Virus-encoded small RNAs (vsRNA) have been reported to play an important role in viral infection. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of an effective method for vsRNA identification. Herein, we presented vsRNAfinder, a de novo method for identifying high-confidence vsRNAs from small RNA-Seq (sRNA-Seq) data based on peak calling and Poisson distribution and is public available at https://github.com/ZenaCai/vsRNAfinder. vsRNAfinder outperformed two widely-used methods namely miRDeep2 and ShortStack in identifying viral miRNAs with a significantly improved sensitivity. It can also be used to identify sRNAs in animals and plants with similar performance to miRDeep2 and ShortStack. The study would greatly facilitate effective identification of vsRNAs.
Kinesin-1 autoinhibition facilitates the initiation of dynein cargo transport
Authors: Qiu Rongde , Zhang Jun , Xiang Xin
Published: May 2022

Kinesin-1 undergoes autoinhibition but its functional significance has been unclear. Kinesin-1 transports multiple cargoes including cytoplasmic dynein to the microtubule plus ends. From a genetic screen forAspergillsmutants defective in dynein-mediated early endosome transport, we identified a kinesin-1 mutationkinAK895*that disrupts kinesin-1 autoinhibition. Consistent withkinAK895*making kinesin-1 constitutively active, the mutant proteins accumulate abnormally near the microtubule plus ends. Unexpectedly, our genetic data show that kinesin-1 autoinhibition is unnecessary for transporting its cargoes such as secretory vesicles. Dynein accumulates normally at the microtubule plus ends in thekinAK895*mutant. However, the frequency but not the speed of dynein-mediated early endosome transport is significantly decreased, indicating that kinesin-1 autoinhibition facilitates dynein to initiate its cargo transport. Furthermore, kinesin-1 autoinhibition promotes dynein cargo initiation in a way mechanistically distinct from LIS1-promoted dynein switching from its autoinhibited form. Thus, while dynein activation involves dynactin, cargo adapter and LIS1, this study adds kinesin-1 autoinhibition as a new regulatory factor in vivo.
Head and eye movement planning differ in access to information during visual search
Authors: Durant Szonya , Watson Tamara
Published: May 2022

To characterize the process of visual search, reaction time is measured relative to stimulus onset, when the whole search field is presented in view simultaneously. Salient objects are found faster, suggesting that they are detected using peripheral vision (rather than each object being fixated in turn). This work investigated how objects are detected in the periphery when onset in the visual field is due to head movement. Is the process of target detection similarly affected by salience? We test this in 360 degree view with free head and eye movement, using a virtual reality headset with eye tracking. We presented letters and Gabor patches as stimuli in separate experiments. Four clusters were arranged horizontally such that two clusters were visible at onset either side of a fixation cross (near location) while the other two entered the field of view (FoV) when the participant made an appropriate head movement (far location). In both experiments we varied whether the target was less or more salient. We found an interesting discrepancy in that across both tasks and locations the first eye movement to land near a cluster was closer to the salient target, even though salience did not lead to a faster head movement towards a cluster at the far locations. We also found that the planning of head movement changed the landing of gaze position to be targeted more towards the centres of the clusters at the far locations, leading to more accurate initial gaze positions relative to target, regardless of salience. This suggests that the spatial information available for targeting of eye movements within a given FoV is not always available for the planning of head movements and how a target appears in view affects gaze targeting accuracy.
Determinants of hyena participation in risky collective action
Authors: Montgomery Tracy M. , Lehmann Kenna D.S. , Gregg Samantha , Keyser Kathleen , McTigue Leah E. , Beehner Jacinta C. , Holekamp Kay E.
Published: May 2022

Many species engage in risky cooperative behaviors, which pose a challenge to evolutionary theory: participants take on all the costs of cooperation, yet even non-participants benefit from success in these encounters. So, why participate in these risky behaviors? We address this question using data from spotted hyenas fighting with lions. Lions are much larger, and kill many hyenas, so these fights require cooperative mobbing by hyenas for them to succeed. We identify factors that predict: (1) when hyena groups engage in cooperative fights with lions, (2) which individuals choose to participate, and (3) how the benefits of victory are distributed among cooperators and non-cooperators. We find that cooperative mobbing is more strongly influenced by lower costs (no male lions, more hyenas) than higher benefits (need for food). Individual participation is facilitated by social factors, both over the long term (close kin, social bond strength) and the short term (greeting interactions prior to cooperation). Finally, we find some direct benefits of participation; after cooperation, participants were more likely to feed at contested carcasses than non-participants. Overall, these results suggest that, when animals play dangerous cooperative games, selection favors flexible strategies that are sensitive to dynamic factors emerging over multiple time-scales.
Mapping the temporal transcriptional landscape of human white and brown adipogenesis using single-nuclei RNA-seq
Authors: Gupta Anushka , Shamsi Farnaz , Patti Mary Elizabeth , Tseng Yu-Hua , Streets Aaron
Published: May 2022

Adipogenesis is key to maintaining organism-wide energy balance and healthy metabolic phenotype, making it critical to thoroughly comprehend its molecular regulation in humans. By single-nuclei RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) of over 20,000 differentiating white and brown preadipocytes, we constructed a high-resolution temporal transcriptional landscape of human white and brown adipogenesis. White and brown preadipocytes were isolated from a single individual’s neck region, thereby eliminating inter-subject variability across two distinct lineages. These preadipocytes were also immortalized to allow for controlled, in vitro differentiation, allowing sampling of distinct cellular states across the spectrum of adipogenic progression. Pseudotemporal cellular ordering revealed the dynamics of ECM remodeling during early adipogenesis, and lipogenic/thermogenic response during late white/brown adipogenesis. Comparison with adipogenic regulation in murine models revealed several targets for potential adipogenic/thermogenic drivers in humans. Key adipogenic and lipogenic markers revealed in our analysis were applied to analyze publicly available scRNA-seq datasets; these confirmed unique cell maturation features in recently discovered murine preadipocytes, and revealed inhibition of adipogenic expansion in humans with obesity. Overall, our study presents a comprehensive molecular description of both white and brown adipogenesis in humans and provides an important resource for future studies of adipose tissue development and function in both health and metabolic disease state.