bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical and economic impacts of large volume delayed sampling and pathogen reduction technology platelet processing strategies in the United States
Authors: Earnshaw Stephanie , Beyhaghi Hadi , McDade Cheryl , Purser Molly , Marriott Robert , Daane Lori , Le Coent Virginie , Yang Julie , Toback Seth
Published: July 2021

Background

Large volume delayed sampling (LVDS) and pathogen reduction technology (PRT) are strategies for platelet processing to minimize transfusion of contaminated platelet components (PCs). This study holistically compares the economic and clinical impact of LVDS and PRT in the United States.

Study Design and Methods

A decision model was constructed to simulate collection, processing, and use of PCs and to compare processing strategies: PRT with 5‐day shelf life, LVDS with 7‐day shelf life (LVDS7), and LVDS with 5‐day shelf life extended to 7 days with secondary testing (LVDS5/2). Target population was adults requiring two or more transfusions. Collection, processing, storage, and distribution data were obtained from the National Blood Collection and Utilization Survey and published literature. Patient outcomes associated with transfusions were obtained from AABB guidelines, meta‐analyses, and other published clinical studies. Costs were obtained from reimbursement schedules and other published sources.

Results

Given 10,000 donated units, 9512, 9511, and 9651 units of PRT, LVDS5/2, and LVDS7 PCs were available for transfusion, respectively. With these units, 1502, 2172, and 2329 transfusions can be performed with similar levels of adverse events. Assuming 30 transfusions a day, a hospital would require 69,325, 47,940, and 45,383 units of PRT, LVDS5/2, and LVDS7 platelets to perform these transfusions. The mean costs to perform transfusions were significantly higher with PRT units.

Conclusions

Compared with PRT, LVDS strategies were associated with lower costs and higher PC availability while patients experienced similar levels of adverse events. Increased utilization of LVDS has the potential to improve efficiency, expand patient access to platelets, and reduce health care costs.
Post‐transfusion detection of RBC alloimmunization: Timing is everything
Authors: Stack Gary
Published: July 2021

See article on page 2255–2264, in this issue
Showrunners’ Scripts are More Cognitively Complex
Authors: Hunter Starling David , Smith Susan , Shafiq Shanzeh
Published: July 2021

The term “showrunner” is used in the US entertainment industry to describe the person who is the chief executive and creative officer of a television TV series. The position is very prestigious, often very financially rewarding, and thus highly sought-after. While there are many paths to the role-and even instances of almost overnight success-the vast majority of current showrunners worked their way up over several years from staff writing positions to production-related roles, often across several different series in the process. Conventional wisdom about how to climb the ladder from writer to showrunner strongly emphasizes the importance of both writing and of originality. While there is research linking objective characteristics of pilot episode scripts to success of the subsequent series, we are aware of no studies that consider whether and how scripts written by showrunners differ from those written by staff writers. Towards that end, in this study we compare the scripts written by showrunners with those written by their staff writers for two highly-acclaimed dramatic series from the last decade-The Good Wife (2009) and The Mentalist (2008). Specifically, we test for differences in the “cognitive complexity” of the two groups of scripts. As expected, we find that, on average, scripts written by showrunners exhibited higher cognitive complexity than those written by staff writers. We also found that scripts by writing team members who later became showrunners for original new series had higher cognitive complexity than those written by staff writers who have yet to attain to this role.
Listening to Dura Europos: An Experiment in Archaeological Image Sonification
Authors: Graham Shawn , Simons Jaime
Published: July 2021

We present an experiment in sonifying archival archaeological imagery to make the act of looking at photography strange and weird. The sounds produced will then arrest us and slow us down, and make apparent to us the different ways that archaeological vision is constructed to particular effect/affect. It makes us alive to what is hidden or elided in the image itself; in slowing down, listening/looking/moving at one, we are moved towards enchantment, and engage in a kind of digital hermeneutics that reveals more than what the lens may have captured.
Grave Goods in Early Medieval Europe: regional variability and decline
Authors: Brownlee Emma
Published: July 2021

This article analyses the use of grave goods in burials across early medieval Europe and how that use changed over the course of the 6th to 8th centuries CE with the widespread transition to unfurnished burial. It uses data gathered from published cemetery excavation reports from England, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The grave good use in these cemeteries was analysed using GIS methods to visualise regional differences, as well as statistical methods to analyse how grave good use evolved over time in those regions. This analysis revealed clear regional distinctions in grave good use, with England and Alamannia appearing similar, with relatively high levels of grave good use. Meanwhile, parts of Frankia and of Burgundy had considerably lower levels of grave good use. Distributions of individual artefact types tended to match those of overall numbers, but there were a few key exceptions, such as vessels, which followed a quite different pattern, being found in high numbers along the Frankish coast, but in much lower numbers elsewhere. Despite these overall trends, there was still considerable intra-regional and intra-cemetery variation that suggests communities and individuals had the ability to make highly individual choices about the way to bury their dead, along with the ability to subvert local norms. It also revealed that while there was a general decline in the use of grave goods across this period, and everywhere eventually reached the point of almost completely unfurnished burial, this decline occurred at different rates. In particular, there was a zone around the North Sea, including Kent, western Frankia, and the Low Countries, where there was little change in grave good use until it was suddenly abandoned in the early 8th century. Different types of objects declined at different rates across different regions, with few clear trends, suggesting that only personal accessories held a common significance across Europe; the meanings of all other object types were negotiated on a local basis.
A Carbon-Based Ultramicrothermocouple
Authors: Scheibel Olivia V. , Koz Mustafa , Scheibel Dieter M. , Schrlau Michael G.
Published: July 2021

Micropipette-based thermocouples provide the advantage of a high tip diameter-to-length aspect ratio allowing the maintenance of a reference temperature crucial for accurate thermal sensing in microdomains. The research efforts in this field strive to achieve high thermoelectric power (voltage change per unit temperature change) while minimizing the sensing area, a pair of tasks that is by nature contradictory and thus, challenging. Herein, the design and fabrication of a carbon-based micropipette thermal sensor are described. A novel manufacturing method and set of materials are used to overcome the reduction in thermoelectric performance associated with small sensor sizes. A glass micropipette is utilized as a template in a chemical vapor deposition process to form a carbon layer in the lumen of the pipette. This carbon micropipette then serves as a scaffold on which gold and nickel are deposited, enabling the device to function as a thermocouple. This low-cost fabrication process results in a thermocouple with a sub-500 nm tip. The response of the thermocouple was characterized and demonstrated good repeatability in a temperature range of 0 to 60 °C. The unique material selection provided a thermoelectric power of 14.9 μV·K−1, a significant improvement (68%) relative to other micropipette-based thermocouples.
Lattice Boltzmann Simulation for Flow Inside Open-Ended Porous Medium With Partially Thermally Active Walls
Authors: Chaabane Raoudha , Jemni Abdelmajid , Perré Patrick
Published: July 2021

Free convection heat transfer and flow characteristics in an open-ended enclosure occupied with fluid saturated porous media are highlighted in this paper. All numerical investigations are achieved using the mesoscopic approach thermal Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) by using the Darcy-Forchheimer model. The bottom and the top sides of the porous enclosure is thermally isolated with complete or partially heated vertical wall facing the opening sidewall. The partial slice of left wall of the enclosure with a fixed heating length as (H/3) is isothermally heated at the middle, top and bottom locations. However, right side is open to the ambient physical conditions. The influences of partial heating location on free convection characteristics, namely, isotherms, streamlines, centerline variations of horizontal and vertical, average and local Nusselt numbers are explored for Darcy number of 0.01, porosity of 0.4, Rayleigh number of 106 and unity Prandtl number.
Validation of Methods for Estimation of Knee Joint Mechanical Impedance During Locomotion Using a Torque-Controllable Knee Exoskeleton
Authors: Nazon Yves F. , Doshi Raveena M. , Rouse Elliott J.
Published: July 2021

The mechanical impedance of the joints of the leg governs the body's response to external disturbances, and its regulation is essential for the completion of tasks of daily life. However, it is still unclear how this quantity is regulated at the knee during dynamic tasks. In this work, we introduce a method to estimate the mechanical impedance of spring-mass systems using a torque-controllable exoskeleton with the intention of extending these methods to characterize the mechanical impedance of the human knee during locomotion. We characterize system bandwidth and intrinsic impedance and present a perturbation-based methodology to identify the mechanical impedance of known spring-mass systems. Our approach was able to obtain accurate estimates of stiffness and inertia, with errors under 3% and ∼13–16%, respectively. This work provides a qualitative and quantitative foundation that will enable accurate estimates of knee joint impedance during locomotion in future works.
Employing Faculty, Peer Mentoring and Coaching to Increase the Self-Confidence and Belongingness of First-Generation College Students in Biomedical Engineering
Authors: Ahmed Mona , Muldoon Timothy J. , Elsaadany Mostafa
Published: July 2021

First-Generation College Students (FGCSs) face myriad challenges including the lack of parental guidance, economic and social burdens, isolation, decreased belongingness, and lowered self-confidence making them at an increased risk of dropping out of college compared to their Continuing College Students (CCSs) colleagues. In addition, being in a multidisciplinary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field such as Biomedical Engineering (BMEG) is another challenge as it requires the integration of several disciplines. This study aims to maximize FGCSs' success and retention in Biomedical Engineering. We hypothesize that STEM-tailored faculty and peer mentoring that is focused on academic and professional development will significantly increase BMEG FGCSs' academic and professional success and enhance their belongingness to the engineering community. Study participants were assigned to either group; faculty mentoring combined with academic coaching or peer mentoring combined with academic coaching. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using two surveys; pre-mentoring and post-mentoring. Both faculty mentoring and peer mentoring led to increasing FGCSs' confidence, belongingness, and involvement in professional opportunities. To tackle the added challenge of studying a multidisciplinary STEM field to the challenges facing FGCSs, a mentorship program that is focused on enhancing self-confidence, sense of belonging and augmenting professional development can be employed to ensure the success, integration, and retention of FGCSs in multidisciplinary STEM fields such as Biomedical Engineering.
The World's First Test Facility That Enables the Experimental Visualization of Cavitation on a Rotating Inducer in Both Cryogenic and Ordinary Fluids
Authors: Ito Yu
Published: July 2021

It is well known that cavitation breakdown, which is a phenomenon in which the pump head suddenly drops with a decrease in the inlet cavitation number, occurs in turbopumps. Especially in cryogenic pumps, cavitation breakdown occurs at a lower inlet cavitation number than that of ordinary fluids such as water. This phenomenon is referred to as a thermodynamic effect, as Stepanoff reported. The thermodynamic properties of the working fluid affect the sizes of the cavitation elements, which affect cavitation breakdown; therefore, experimental flow visualization is an effective approach to realize a more efficient and more reliable cryogenic pump. In 2010, the author and colleagues developed the world's first test facility to enable the visualization of cavitation on a rotating inducer in both cryogenic and ordinary fluids. At that time, only two reports on the flow visualization of a rotating cryogenic impeller had been published: one on flow visualization in liquid hydrogen by NASA in 1967 and the other on flow visualization in liquid nitrogen by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2010. The present facility employs a triple-thread helical inducer with a diameter of 65.3 mm and a rotation rate of up to 8000 rpm, with both liquid nitrogen and water available as working fluids. Unsteady visualization experiments for cavitation on an inducer in liquid nitrogen and water have revealed the characteristics of tip vortex cavitation, backflow vortex cavitation, and cavitation element size based on comparisons between cryogenic fluids that exhibit a stronger thermodynamic effect and ordinary fluids such as water.
Comparing Leg Quasi-Stiffness Methods Across Running Velocities
Authors: Kuzmeski John , Weir Gillian , Johnson Travis , Salzano Matthew , Hamill Joseph
Published: July 2021

This study investigated the differences between 5 commonly used methods to calculate leg stiffness over a range of running velocities. Thirteen male, habitually rearfoot, recreational runners ran on a force instrumented treadmill for a 5-minute running session. Each session consisted of 30-second intervals at 6 progressively faster speeds from 2.5 m·s−1 through 5.0 m·s−1 with each interval speed increasing by 0.5 m·s−1. Two-way within-factors repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to evaluate leg stiffness and length. A one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate the slope of each trend line of each model across speeds. Pearson correlations were used to compare the relationship between the different computational methods. The results indicated that the direct stiffness methods increased with speed whereas the indirect stiffness methods did not. The direct methods were strongly correlated with each other as were the indirect methods. However, there were no strong correlations between the direct and indirect methods. These differences can be mostly attributed to how each individual stiffness method calculated leg length. It is important for researchers to understand these differences when conducting future studies and comparing past studies.
The Relationship Between the Perceived Motivational Climate in Elite Collegiate Sport and Athlete Psychological Coping Skills
Authors: Fry Mary D. , Hogue Candace M. , Iwasaki Susumu , Solomon Gloria B.
Published: July 2021

Psychological coping skills in sport are believed to be central to athlete performance and well-being. This study examined the relationship between the perceived motivational climate in elite collegiate sport teams and player psychological coping skills use. Division I athletes (N = 467) completed a questionnaire examining their perceptions of how caring, task-, and ego-involving their teams were and their use of sport specific psychological coping skills (i.e., coping with adversity, peaking under pressure, goal setting/mental preparation, concentration, freedom from worry, confidence/achievement motivation, and coachability). Structural equation modeling revealed positive relationships between perceptions of a task-involving climate and confidence/achievement motivation (β = 0.42) and goal setting/mental preparation (β = 0.27). Caring climate perceptions were positively associated with coachability (β = 0.34). These findings illustrate how encouraging athletes and coaches to create a caring, task-involving climate may facilitate athletes’ use of psychological coping skills and set athletes up to perform their best and have a positive sporting experience.
Holographic Sight Improves the Static Shooting Accuracy and Vertical Sway Precision During High-Intensity Dynamic Action in the Police Task Force
Authors: Vágner Michal , Bílek Zdeněk , Sýkora Karel , Michalička Vladimír , Přívětivý Lubomír , Fiala Miloš , Maszczyk Adam , Stastny Petr
Published: July 2021

The aim of this study was to find the effect of holographic sight (HS) on short-distance shooting accuracy and precision during static and high-intensity dynamic actions. Twenty policemen (31 ± 2.2 years, 85.6 ± 6.1 kg, and 181.9 ± 4.4 cm) performed five shots in the 10-s limit under the static condition for 20 m and dynamic condition 15–5 m, and after 4 × 10 m sprint action, both with fixed sight (FS) and HS. The analysis of variance post hoc test revealed that HSstatic had higher shouting accuracy than FSstatic, FSdynamic, and HSdynamic (p = .03, p = .0001, and p = .0001, respectively) and FSdynamic had lower precision than FSstatic, HSstatic, and HSdynamic (p = .0003, p = .0001, and p = .01, respectively) in vertical sway. The HS for rifles has improved the accuracy of static shooting and vertical sway precision of dynamic shooting.
Nuclear NAD
+
homeostasis governed by NMNAT1 prevents apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia stem cells
Authors: Shi Xiangguo , Jiang Yajian , Kitano Ayumi , Hu Tianyuan , Murdaugh Rebecca L. , Li Yuan , Hoegenauer Kevin A. , Chen Rui , Takahashi Koichi , Nakada Daisuke
Published: July 2021

Nuclear NAD
+
homeostasis governed by NMNAT1 prevents apoptosis in AML stem cells by suppressing p53.
Linking the
FTO
obesity rs1421085 variant circuitry to cellular, metabolic, and organismal phenotypes in vivo
Authors: Laber Samantha , Forcisi Sara , Bentley Liz , Petzold Julia , Moritz Franco , Smirnov Kirill S. , Al Sadat Loubna , Williamson Iain , Strobel Sophie , Agnew Thomas , Sengupta Shahana , Nicol Tom , Grallert Harald , Heier Margit , Honecker Julius , Mianne Joffrey , Teboul Lydia , Dumbell Rebecca , Long Helen , Simon Michelle , Lindgren Cecilia , Bickmore Wendy A. , Hauner Hans , Schmitt-Kopplin Philippe , Claussnitzer Melina , Cox Roger D.
Published: July 2021

The obesity-linked FTO regulatory circuitry shows cross-species molecular, cellular, metabolic, and organismal conservation.
Cryo-EM structure of the human ELMO1-DOCK5-Rac1 complex
Authors: Kukimoto-Niino Mutsuko , Katsura Kazushige , Kaushik Rahul , Ehara Haruhiko , Yokoyama Takeshi , Uchikubo-Kamo Tomomi , Nakagawa Reiko , Mishima-Tsumagari Chiemi , Yonemochi Mayumi , Ikeda Mariko , Hanada Kazuharu , Zhang Kam Y. J. , Shirouzu Mikako
Published: July 2021

Rac1-bound structure and mutagenesis of the ELMO1-DOCK5 complex provide insights into how ELMO modulates DOCK activity.
Reply to comment on “Nonadjacent dependency processing in monkeys, apes, and humans”
Authors: Watson Stuart K. , Burkart Judith M. , Schapiro Steven J. , Lambeth Susan P. , Mueller Jutta L. , Townsend Simon W.
Published: July 2021

Processing predictive relationships in sequential auditory input is a core capacity allowing for the emergence of syntax.
Dynamic loading of human engineered heart tissue enhances contractile function and drives a desmosome-linked disease phenotype
Authors: Bliley Jacqueline M. , Vermeer Mathilde C. S. C. , Duffy Rebecca M. , Batalov Ivan , Kramer Duco , Tashman Joshua W. , Shiwarski Daniel J. , Lee Andrew , Teplenin Alexander S. , Volkers Linda , Coffin Brian , Hoes Martijn F. , Kalmykov Anna , Palchesko Rachelle N. , Sun Yan , Jongbloed Jan D. H. , Bomer Nils , de Boer Rudolf A. , Suurmeijer Albert J. H. , Pijnappels Daniel A. , Bolling Maria C. , van der Meer Peter , Feinberg Adam W.
Published: July 2021

A dynamic mechanical loading platform was developed to improve contractility of engineered heart tissues and study cardiac disease progression.
The antimalarial MMV688533 provides potential for single-dose cures with a high barrier to
Plasmodium falciparum
parasite resistance
Authors: Murithi James M. , Pascal Cécile , Bath Jade , Boulenc Xavier , Gnädig Nina F. , Pasaje Charisse Flerida A. , Rubiano Kelly , Yeo Tomas , Mok Sachel , Klieber Sylvie , Desert Paul , Jiménez-Díaz María Belén , Marfurt Jutta , Rouillier Mélanie , Cherkaoui-Rbati Mohammed H. , Gobeau Nathalie , Wittlin Sergio , Uhlemann Anne-Catrin , Price Ric N. , Wirjanata Grennady , Noviyanti Rintis , Tumwebaze Patrick , Cooper Roland A. , Rosenthal Philip J. , Sanz Laura M. , Gamo Francisco Javier , Joseph Jayan , Singh Shivendra , Bashyam Sridevi , Augereau Jean Michel , Giraud Elie , Bozec Tanguy , Vermat Thierry , Tuffal Gilles , Guillon Jean-Michel , Menegotto Jérôme , Sallé Laurent , Louit Guillaume , Cabanis Marie-José , Nicolas Marie Françoise , Doubovetzky Michel , Merino Rita , Bessila Nadir , Angulo-Barturen Iñigo , Baud Delphine , Bebrevska Lidiya , Escudié Fanny , Niles Jacquin C. , Blasco Benjamin , Campbell Simon , Courtemanche Gilles , Fraisse Laurent , Pellet Alain , Fidock David A. , Leroy Didier
Published: July 2021

We report an acylguanidine preclinical candidate with pharmacological features compatible with single low-dose malaria cure.
Comparative Investigation of 15 Xenobiotic-Metabolizing
N
-Acetyltransferase (NAT) Homologs from Bacteria
Authors: Garefalaki Vasiliki , Papavergi Maria-Giusy , Savvidou Olga , Papanikolaou Georgia , Felföldi Tamás , Márialigeti Károly , Fakis Giannoulis , Boukouvala Sotiria
Published: July 2021

Arylamines are encountered as industrial chemicals or by-products of agrochemicals that may constitute highly toxic contaminants of soils and groundwaters. Although such chemicals may be recalcitrant to biotransformation, they can be enzymatically converted into less toxic forms by some bacteria.
Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase (RubisCO) Is Essential for Growth of the Methanotroph Methylococcus capsulatus Strain Bath
Authors: Henard Calvin A. , Wu Chao , Xiong Wei , Henard Jessica M. , Davidheiser-Kroll Brett , Orata Fabini D. , Guarnieri Michael T.
Published: July 2021

The importance of RubisCO and CO
2
in
M. capsulatus
Bath metabolism is unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that both CO
2
and RubisCO are essential for
M. capsulatus
Bath growth.
13
CO
2
tracing experiments supported that RubisCO mediates CO
2
fixation and that a noncanonical Calvin cycle is active in this organism.
Dipeptidase PEPDA Is Required for the Conidiation Pattern Shift in Metarhizium acridum
Authors: Li Juan , Su Xueling , Cao Yueqing , Xia Yuxian
Published: July 2021

Conidia, as the asexual propagules in many fungi, are the start and end of the fungal life cycle. In entomopathogenic fungi, conidia are the infective form essential for their pathogenicity.
Evaluation of Cell-Based and Surrogate SARS-CoV-2 Neutralization Assays
Authors: Sholukh Anton M. , Fiore-Gartland Andrew , Ford Emily S. , Miner Maurine D. , Hou Yixuan J. , Tse Longping V. , Kaiser Hannah , Zhu Haiying , Lu Joyce , Madarampalli Bhanupriya , Park Arnold , Lempp Florian A. , St. Germain Russell , Bossard Emily L. , Kee Jia Jin , Diem Kurt , Stuart Andrew B. , Rupert Peter B. , Brock Chance , Buerger Matthew , Doll Margaret K. , Randhawa April Kaur , Stamatatos Leonidas , Strong Roland K. , McLaughlin Colleen , Huang Meei-Li , Jerome Keith R. , Baric Ralph S. , Montefiori David , Corey Lawrence
Published: July 2021

Determinants of protective immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection require the development of well-standardized, reproducible antibody assays. This need has led to the emergence of a variety of neutralization assays.
Multicenter Postimplementation Assessment of the Positive Predictive Value of SARS-CoV-2 Antigen-Based Point-of-Care Tests Used for Screening of Asymptomatic Continuing Care Staff
Authors: Kanji Jamil N. , Proctor Dustin T. , Stokes William , Berenger Byron M. , Silvius James , Tipples Graham , Joffe A. Mark , Venner Allison A.
Published: July 2021

Frequent screening of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among asymptomatic populations using antigen-based point-of-care tests (APOCTs) is occurring globally with limited clinical performance data. The positive predictive value (PPV) of two APOCTs used in the asymptomatic screening of SARS-CoV-2 among health care workers (HCWs) at continuing care (CC) sites across AB, Canada, was evaluated. Between 22 February and 2 May 2021, CC sites implemented SARS-CoV-2 voluntary screening of their asymptomatic HCWs. On-site testing with Abbott Panbio or BD Veritor occurred on a weekly or twice-weekly basis.
Headless Henipaviral Receptor Binding Glycoproteins Reveal Fusion Modulation by the Head/Stalk Interface and Post-receptor Binding Contributions of the Head Domain
Authors: Yeo Yao Yu , Buchholz David W. , Gamble Amandine , Jager Mason , Aguilar Hector C.
Published: July 2021

The
Henipavirus
genus in the
Paramyxoviridae
family includes the zoonotic Nipah (NiV) and Hendra (HeV) viruses. NiV and HeV infections often cause fatal encephalitis and pneumonia, but no vaccines or therapeutics are currently approved for human use.
Improved Genome Packaging Efficiency of Adeno-associated Virus Vectors Using Rep Hybrids
Authors: Mietzsch Mario , Eddington Courtnee , Jose Ariana , Hsi Jane , Chipman Paul , Henley Tom , Choudhry Modassir , McKenna Robert , Agbandje-McKenna Mavis
Published: July 2021

A major by-product of all adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector production systems are “empty” capsids, void of the desired therapeutic gene, and thus do not provide any curative benefit for the treatment of the targeted disease. In fact, empty capsids can potentially elicit additional immune responses
in vivo
gene therapies if not removed by additional purification steps.
Porcine Hemagglutinating Encephalomyelitis Virus Triggers Neural Autophagy Independently of ULK1
Authors: Li Zi , Gao Feng , Lan Yungang , Guan Jiyu , Zhang Jing , Lu Huijun , Zhao Kui , He Wenqi
Published: July 2021

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic alongside the outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) pose
Betacoronavirus
(β-CoV) as a global public health challenge. Coronaviruses subvert, hijack, or utilize autophagy to promote proliferation, and thus, exploring the cross talk between β-CoV and autophagy is of great significance in confronting future β-CoV outbreaks.
Enterovirus 71 2A Protease Inhibits P-Body Formation To Promote Viral RNA Synthesis
Authors: Fan Shanshan , Xu Zihang , Liu Pengfei , Qin Yali , Chen Mingzhou
Published: July 2021

Processing bodies (P-bodies) are constitutively present in eukaryotic cells and play an important role in the mRNA cycle, including regulation of gene expression and mRNA degradation. The P-body is the structure that viruses manipulate to facilitate their survival.
A New Contact Killing Toxin Permeabilizes Cells and Belongs to a Broadly Distributed Protein Family
Authors: Crisan Cristian V. , Chandrashekar Harshini , Everly Catherine , Steinbach Gabi , Hill Shannon E. , Yunker Peter J. , Lieberman Raquel R. , Hammer Brian K.
Published: July 2021

Bacteria live in polymicrobial communities where competition for resources and space is essential for survival. Proteobacteria use the T6SS to eliminate neighboring cells and cause disease.
Establishment of a Patient-Derived, Magnetic Levitation-Based, Three-Dimensional Spheroid Granuloma Model for Human Tuberculosis
Authors: Kotze Leigh A. , Beltran Caroline G. G. , Lang Dirk , Loxton Andre G. , Cooper Susan , Meiring Maynard , Koegelenberg Coenraad F. N. , Allwood Brian W. , Malherbe Stephanus T. , Hiemstra Andriette M. , Glanzmann Brigitte , Kinnear Craig , Walzl Gerhard , du Plessis Nelita
Published: July 2021

TB is a highly infectious disease, with granulomas as its hallmark. Granulomas play an important role in the control of
M. tuberculosis
infection and as such are crucial indicators for our understanding of host resistance to TB.
Why Do We Need To Diversify the Microbial Sciences?
Authors: Torres Alfredo G.
Published: July 2021

We can learn from the diversity of microbial communities, represented by the thriving of different species. Failure to build inclusive microbial sciences only perpetuates an imbalance that is damaging to the scientific community. As microbiologists, are we ready to lead the way on diversity and inclusion initiatives and set an example for the rest of the professions and scientific fields?
Intragenic Distribution of IS
6110
in Clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strains: Bioinformatic Evidence for Gene Disruption Leading to Underdiagnosed Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Antoine Rudy , Gaudin Cyril , Hartkoorn Ruben C.
Published: July 2021

To help control the spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis and to guide treatment choices, it is important that rapid and accurate molecular diagnostic tools are used. Current molecular diagnostic tools detect the most common antibiotic-resistance-conferring mutations in the form of single nucleotide changes, small deletions, or insertions.
Genomic Update of Phenotypic Prediction Rule for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) USA300 Discloses Jail Transmission Networks with Increased Resistance
Authors: Sansom Sarah E. , Benedict Emily , Thiede Stephanie N. , Hota Bala , Aroutcheva Alla , Payne Darjai , Zawitz Chad , Snitkin Evan S. , Green Stefan J. , Weinstein Robert A. , Popovich Kyle J.
Published: July 2021

Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) is an important cause of health care-associated (HA) and community-associated (CA) infections, but the epidemiology of these strains (USA100 and USA300, respectively) now overlaps in health care settings. Although sequencing technology has become more available, many health care facilities still lack the capabilities to perform these analyses.
Identification of Actin Filament-Associated Proteins in Giardia lamblia
Authors: Steele-Ogus Melissa C. , Johnson Richard S. , MacCoss Michael J. , Paredez Alexander R.
Published: July 2021

Giardia lamblia
is an intestinal parasite that colonizes the small intestine and causes diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and malnutrition.
Giardia
actin (
Gl
Actin) has a conserved role in
Giardia
cells, despite being a highly divergent protein with none of the conserved regulators found in model organisms. Here, we identify and localize 46 interactors of polymerized actin.
Detrital zircon geochronology and provenance of the Middle to Late Jurassic Paradox Basin and Central Colorado trough: Paleogeographic implications for southwestern Laurentia
Authors: Ejembi John I. , Potter-McIntyre Sally L. , Sharman Glenn R. , Smith Tyson M. , Saylor Joel E. , Hatfield Kendall , Ferré Eric C.
Published: July 2021

Middle to Upper Jurassic strata in the Paradox Basin and Central Colorado trough (CCT; southwestern United States) record a pronounced change in sediment dispersal from dominantly aeolian deposition with an Appalachian source (Entrada Sandstone) to dominantly fluvial deposition with a source in the Mogollon and/or Sevier orogenic highlands (Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation). An enigmatic abundance of Cambrian (ca. 527–519 Ma) grains at this provenance transition in the CCT at Escalante Canyon, Colorado, was recently suggested to reflect a local sediment source from the Ancestral Front Range, despite previous interpretations that local basement uplifts were largely buried by Middle to Late Jurassic time.

This study aims to delineate spatial and temporal patterns in provenance of these Jurassic sandstones containing Cambrian grains within the Paradox Basin and CCT using sandstone petrography, detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology, and detrital zircon trace elemental and rare-earth elemental (REE) geochemistry. We report 7887 new U-Pb detrital zircon analyses from 31 sandstone samples collected within seven transects in western Colorado and eastern Utah. Three clusters of zircon ages are consistently present (1.53–1.3 Ga, 1.3–0.9 Ga, and 500–300 Ma) that are interpreted to reflect sources associated with the Appalachian orogen in southeastern Laurentia (mid-continent, Grenville, Appalachian, and peri-Gondwanan terranes). Ca. 540–500 Ma zircon grains are anomalously abundant locally in the uppermost Entrada Sandstone and Wanakah Formation but are either lacking or present in small fractions in the overlying Salt Wash and Tidwell Members of the Morrison Formation. A comparison of zircon REE geochemistry between Cambrian detrital zircon and igneous zircon from potential sources shows that these 540–500 Ma detrital zircon are primarily magmatic. Although variability in both detrital and igneous REE concentrations precludes definitive identification of provenance, several considerations suggest that distal sources from the Cambrian granitic and rhyolitic provinces of the Southern Oklahoma aulacogen is also likely, in addition to a proximal source identified in the McClure Mountain syenite of the Wet Mountains, Colorado. The abundance of Cambrian grains in samples from the central CCT, particularly in the Entrada Sandstone and Wanakah Formation, suggests northwesterly sediment transport within the CCT, with sediment sourced from Ancestral Rocky Mountains uplifts of the southern Wet Mountains and/or Amarillo-Wichita Mountains in southwestern Oklahoma. The lack of Cambrian grains within the Paradox Basin suggests that the Uncompahgre uplift (southwestern Colorado) acted as a barrier to sediment transport from the CCT.
Isolated right subclavian artery with interrupted aortic arch, ventricular septal defect and bilateral patent ductus arteriosus: a rare congenital anomaly
Authors: Kumar Parveen , Bhatia Mona , Kumar Khemendra , Jain Shashank
Published: July 2021

Isolation of the left subclavian artery or its anomalous origin from the pulmonary artery has been documented in several cases, especially in association with a right-sided aortic arch. However, similar anomaly involving the right subclavian artery has been less frequently reported. Isolated right subclavian artery in association with interrupted aortic arch (IAA) is extremely rare, and only three cases have been reported so far. Here, we have presented yet another case of isolated right subclavian artery associated with ventricular septal defect, type B IAA and bilateral patent ductus arteriosus.
Omani experience with the use of factor IX Fc fusion protein
Authors: Alzadjali Shireen I , Wali Yasser
Published: July 2021

We describe our local experience in the management of haemophilia B patients with factor IX Fc fusion protein. Two children with haemophilia B were managed with the use of a personalised/tailored dosing schedule of factor IX Fc fusion protein. Compared with the standard half-life factor IX, prophylaxis with factor IX Fc fusion protein was cost-effective, with much less injections, better bleeding control, improved tolerability or no inhibitor development.
Myositis and myasteniform syndrome related to pembrolizumab
Authors: Sanchez-Sancho Pablo , Selva-O'Callaghan Albert , Trallero-Araguás Ernesto , Ros Javier , Montoro Bruno
Published: July 2021

This case report concerns a 63-year-old man affected by metastatic undifferentiated liposarcoma. After receiving pembrolizumab as a second-line treatment in a clinical trial, the patient experienced an immune-mediated myocarditis, myositis and myasteniform syndrome. The last two adverse events showed significant clinical relevance in terms of severity, duration and the required specific treatment.

Initial treatment approach consisted in pulses of 1 g of methylprednisolone, followed by 2 mg/kg/day, with clinical improvement. After 12 days, the immune-mediated myasteniform syndrome worsened, with dysphagia, dysphonia, bilateral palpebral ptosis and respiratory difficulty. Due to the refractoriness to glucocorticoid treatment, it was decided to initiate intravenous immunoglobulin at 2 g/kg, followed by 2 mg/kg every 4 weeks once discharged and mycophenolate 500 mg/12 hours, in order to reduce the dose of glucocorticoids.

After 2 months, the patient presented an optimal clinical evolution, without muscular weakness and referred to an improvement in dysphagia and speech.
Submassive pulmonary embolism with a right heart thrombus
Authors: Yan Winnie , Gunther Ingrid , Hafiz Ali , Goldenberg Ronald
Published: July 2021

A 49-year-old woman presented to the hospital with shortness of breath 2 weeks after a left total hip replacement. She was found to have a submassive pulmonary embolism (PE), with her case complicated by the detection of a large mobile clot in transit extending through a patent foramen ovale between the right and left atria. The presence of this free-floating right heart thrombus (FFRHT) increases her risks of stroke and mortality, yet the optimal approach to her treatment was unclear. Ultimately, intravenous tissue plasminogen activator was administered with resolution of the clot. Treatment was complicated by haemodynamically insignificant bleeding at the site of recent surgery. Herein, we further discuss the implications and treatment options for patients with an FFRHT in the setting of an acute PE.
Insulin can be used to treat severe hypertriglyceridaemia in pregnant women without diabetes
Authors: Ali Aleena Shujaat
Published: July 2021

Severe hypertriglyceridaemia can lead to acute pancreatitis, which is associated with maternal and perinatal mortality when it occurs in pregnancy. Rapid reduction of triglyceride levels is a primary goal in the management of severe hypertriglyceridaemia, however, there are limited safe option for treatment in pregnancy. We present a case of a woman without diabetes presenting with severe hypertriglyceridaemia in late gestation who was safely and successfully treated with insulin and review the literature surrounding the management of this important condition.
Development of prehospital care quality indicators for the Australian setting: a modified RAND/UCLA appropriateness method
Authors: Pap Robin , Lockwood Craig , Stephenson Matthew , Simpson Paul
Published: July 2021

Background

Globally, the measurement of quality is an important process that supports the provision of high-quality and safe healthcare services. The requirement for valid quality measurement to gauge improvements and monitor performance is echoed in the Australian prehospital care setting. The aim of this study was to use an evidence-informed expert consensus process to identify valid quality indicators (QIs) for Australian prehospital care provided by ambulance services.

Methods

A modified RAND/UCLA appropriateness method was conducted with a panel of Australian prehospital care experts from February to May 2019. The proposed QIs stemmed from a scoping review and were systematically prepared within a clinical and non-clinical classification system, and a structure/process/outcome and access/safety/effectiveness taxonomy. Rapid reviews were performed for each QI to produce evidence summaries for consideration by the panellists. QIs were deemed valid if the median score by the panel was 7–9 without disagreement.

Results

Of 117 QIs, the expert panel rated 84 (72%) as valid. This included 26 organisational/system QIs across 7 subdomains and 58 clinical QIs within 10 subdomains.

Most QIs were process indicators (n=62; 74%) while QIs describing structural elements and desired outcomes were less common (n=13; 15% and n=9; 11%, respectively). Non-exclusively, 18 (21%) QIs addressed access to healthcare, 21 (25%) described safety aspects and 64 (76%) specified elements contributing to effective services and care. QIs on general time intervals, such as response time, were not considered valid by the panel.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that with consideration of best available evidence a substantial proportion of QIs scoped and synthesised from the international literature are valid for use in the Australian prehospital care context.
Head home: implementation during COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Aldridge Patrick , Parish Rachel , Castle Heather , Russell Emma , Rout Raj , Singh Roohi
Published: July 2021

Background

Recent research suggests that between 20% and 50% of paediatric head injuries attending our emergency department (ED) could be safely discharged soon after triage, without the need for medical review, using a ‘Head Injury Discharge At Triage’ tool (HIDAT). We sought to implement this into clinical practice.

Methods

Paediatric ED triage staff underwent competency-based assessments for HIDAT with all head injury presentations 1 May to 31 October 2020 included in analysis. We determined which patients were discharged using the tool, which underwent CT of the brain and whether there was a clinically important traumatic brain injury or representation to the ED.

Results

Of the 1429 patients screened; 610 (43%) screened negative with 250 (18%) discharged by nursing staff. Of the entire cohort, 32 CTs were performed for head injury concerns (6 abnormal) with 1 CT performed in the HIDAT negative group (normal). Of those discharged using HIDAT, four reattended, two with vomiting (no imaging or admission) and two with minor scalp wound infections. Two patients who screened negative declined discharge under the policy with later medical discharge (no imaging or admission). Paediatric ED attendances were 29% lower than in 2018.

Conclusion

We have successfully implemented HIDAT into local clinical practice. The number discharged (18%) is lower than originally described; this is likely multifactorial. The relationship between COVID-19 and paediatric ED attendances is unclear but decreased attendances suggest those for whom the tool was originally designed are not attending ED and may be accessing other medical/non-medical resources
Diagnostic yield of bacteriological tests and predictors of severe outcome in adult patients with COVID-19 presenting to the emergency department
Authors: Kaal Anna , Snel Lars , Dane Martijn , van Burgel Nathalie , Ottens Thomas , Broekman Winifred , el Bouazzaoui Lahssan , Kolfschoten Nikki , Schippers Emile , Steyerberg Ewout , Meziyerh Soufian , van Nieuwkoop Cees
Published: July 2021

Background

Guidelines recommend maximal efforts to obtain blood and sputum cultures in patients with COVID-19, as bacterial coinfection is associated with worse outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the yield of bacteriological tests, including blood and sputum cultures, and the association of multiple biomarkers and the Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) with clinical and microbiological outcomes in patients with COVID-19 presenting to the emergency department (ED).

Methods

This is a substudy of a large observational cohort study (PredictED study). The PredictED included adult patients from whom a blood culture was drawn at the ED of Haga Teaching Hospital, The Netherlands. For this substudy, all patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR in March and April 2020 were included. The primary outcome was the incidence of bacterial coinfection. We used logistic regression analysis for associations of procalcitonin, C reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, lymphocyte count and PSI score with a severe disease course, defined as intensive care unit admission and/or 30-day mortality. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) quantified the discriminatory performance.

Results

We included 142 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients. On presentation, the median duration of symptoms was 8 days. 41 (29%) patients had a severe disease course and 24 (17%) died within 30 days. The incidence of bacterial coinfection was 2/142 (1.4%). None of the blood cultures showed pathogen growth while 6.3% was contaminated. The AUCs for predicting severe disease were 0.76 (95% CI 0.68 to 0.84), 0.70 (0.61 to 0.79), 0.62 (0.51 to 0.74), 0.62 (0.51 to 0.72) and 0.72 (0.63 to 0.81) for procalcitonin, CRP, ferritin, lymphocyte count and PSI score, respectively.

Conclusion

Blood cultures appear to have limited value while procalcitonin and the PSI appear to be promising tools in helping physicians identify patients at risk for severe disease course in COVID-19 at presentation to the ED.
Myocardial infarctions, subtypes and coronary atherosclerosis in SLE: a case–control study
Authors: Samuelsson Isak , Parodis Ioannis , Gunnarsson Iva , Zickert Agneta , Hofman-Bang Claes , Wallén Håkan , Svenungsson Elisabet
Published: July 2021

Objective

Patients with SLE have increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI). Few studies have investigated the characteristics of SLE-related MIs. We compared characteristics of and risk factors for MI between SLE patients with MI (MI-SLE), MI patients without SLE (MI-non-SLE) and SLE patients without MI (non-MI-SLE) to understand underlying mechanisms.

Methods

We identified patients with a first-time MI in the Karolinska SLE cohort. These patients were individually matched for age and gender with MI-non-SLE and non-MI-SLE controls in a ratio of 1:1:1. Retrospective medical file review was performed. Paired statistics were used as appropriate.

Results

Thirty-four MI-SLE patients (88% females) with a median age of 61 years were included. These patients had increased number of coronary arteries involved (p=0.04), and ≥50% coronary atherosclerosis/occlusion was numerically more common compared with MI-non-SLE controls (88% vs 66%; p=0.07). The left anterior descending artery was most commonly involved (73% vs 59%; p=0.11) and decreased (<50%) left ventricular ejection fraction occurred with similar frequency in MI-SLE and MI-non-SLE patients (45% vs 36%; p=0.79). Cardiovascular disease (44%, 5.9%, 12%; p<0.001) and coronary artery disease (32%, 2.9%, 0%; p<0.001), excluding MI, preceded MI/inclusion more commonly in MI-SLE than in MI-non-SLE and non-MI-SLE patients, respectively. MI-SLE patients had lower plasma albumin levels than non-MI-SLE patients (35 (29–37) vs 40 (37–42) g/L; p=0.002).

Conclusion

In the great majority of cases, MIs in SLE are associated with coronary atherosclerosis. Furthermore, MIs in SLE are commonly preceded by symptomatic vascular disease, calling for attentive surveillance of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors and early atheroprotective treatment.
Defining the undefinable: the black box problem in healthcare artificial intelligence
Authors: Wadden Jordan Joseph
Published: July 2021

The ‘black box problem’ is a long-standing talking point in debates about artificial intelligence (AI). This is a significant point of tension between ethicists, programmers, clinicians and anyone else working on developing AI for healthcare applications. However, the precise definition of these systems are often left undefined, vague, unclear or are assumed to be standardised within AI circles. This leads to situations where individuals working on AI talk over each other and has been invoked in numerous debates between opaque and explainable systems. This paper proposes a coherent and clear definition for the black box problem to assist in future discussions about AI in healthcare. This is accomplished by synthesising various definitions in the literature and examining several criteria that can be extrapolated from these definitions.