bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“But there is always hope in the human heart”: Italian Jews’ Search for the Deported in the Immediate Aftermath of the Holocaust
Authors: Koch Anna
Published: September 2020

This investigation examines the early efforts of Italian survivors, beginning with the June 1944 liberation of Rome, to discover the fate of loved ones. Survivors of the camps shared their experiences with those who had evaded capture and deportation (through hiding, passing, or other means). Highlighting the crucial role returnees played in transmitting information about the camps reveals how these two groups created support networks. As hope that relatives would return dwindled by the late 1940s, this frantic search evolved into an effort to commemorate the victims. Though relatives struggled to mourn without a body to bury or grave to visit, networks of shared suffering and early attempts to commemorate the deceased helped survivors process their loss.
Enemy of Secrets: Transparency and Displacement in Interwar Glass
Authors: Hartzell Freyja
Published: September 2020

Glass is magic. Not quite liquid, not quite solid, it is a shape-shifter. A curious displacer, it dislodges space while itself appearing almost absent, optically permeable—ghostly. Glass’s unique conflation of materiality and immateriality recommended it for both practical and conceptual exploitation during the modern period. This essay considers glass objects and architecture produced in Germany during the Interwar years as both reactions to the cataclysms of World War I and responses to the shift in political values that fueled the advent of the Third Reich. It traces both glass’s own power to displace—to shift and change the cultural landscape of modernity—and its paradoxical powerlessness to resist its own displacement: its gradual evacuation of color, texture and presence—and the cultural and political consequences.
Impact of Pool Testing in Detection of Asymptomatic Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Smalley David L , Cisarik Patricia M , Grantham James , Cloud William , Neil R Brock , DePriest Paul
Published: September 2020

Objective

During the current pandemic, COVID-19 has been detected in patients using real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) that confirms the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The demand for increased testing, particularly for asymptomatic individuals required alternative approaches to single-patient RT-PCR testing, such as pooling.

Methods

This study explored the impact of dilution on the detectability of SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic patients using RT-PCR and demonstrated that pooling can be effective in low prevalence populations.

Results

The RT-PCR results for the 3:1, 5:1, and 7:1 aliquot samples showed little differences in CT values, confirming detection capability at these dilutions.

Conclusion

Based on the results of the present study, a pooled approach with up to 5:1 sample aliquots and using the current RT-PCR methodology likely will detect SARS CoV2 RNA among asymptomatic patients.
Assessing the systematics of Tylodinidae in the Mediterranean Sea and Eastern Atlantic Ocean: resurrectingTylodina rafinesquiiPhilippi, 1836 (Heterobranchia: Umbraculida)
Authors: Fernández-Vilert Robert , Giribet Gonzalo , Salvador Xavi , Moles Juan
Published: September 2020

The systematics of the gastropod clade Umbraculida, particularly the family Tylodinidae, has been a matter of debate. The Tylodinidae of the Mediterranean Sea are a case in point, with no comprehensive molecular assessment of diversity having been carried out to date. Several species and genera have been erected and synonymized in the course of the last two centuries and only a single species from each of the genera Tylodina and Anidolyta are considered to be present in these waters. In order to shed light on the controversial taxonomy of the group, we carried out both morpho-anatomical study and molecular analyses using fragments of two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA, and the nuclear gene histone H3. Phylogenetic analyses and species delimitation tests clearly recovered two independent lineages of Tylodina from the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic coast, the type species T. perversa and the resurrected T. rafinesquii. We found clear differences in shell and radular morphology between both species, as well as differences in their habitat and food preferences. Interestingly, we found strong evidence that T. rafinesquii is sister to T. fungina from the Eastern Pacific rather than to the sympatric T. perversa. Furthermore, the new morphological data strongly encourage the suppression of the genus Anidolyta, which should be considered a junior synonym of Tylodina.
The expression of long non-coding RNAs is associated with H3Ac and H3K4me2 changes regulated by the HDA6-LDL1/2 histone modification complex in Arabidopsis
Authors: Hung Fu-Yu , Chen Chen , Yen Ming-Ren , Hsieh Jo-Wei Allison , Li Chenlong , Shih Yuan-Hsin , Chen Fang-Fang , Chen Pao-Yang , Cui Yuhai , Wu Keqiang
Published: September 2020

In recent years, eukaryotic long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as important factors involved in a wide variety of biological processes, including histone modification, alternative splicing and transcription enhancement. The expression of lncRNAs is highly tissue-specific and is regulated by environmental stresses. Recently, a large number of plant lncRNAs have been identified, but very few of them have been studied in detail. Furthermore, the mechanism of lncRNA expression regulation remains largely unknown. Arabidopsis HISTONE DEACETYLASE 6 (HDA6) and LSD1-LIKE 1/2 (LDL1/2) can repress gene expression synergistically by regulating H3Ac/H3K4me. In this research, we performed RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analyses to further clarify the function of HDA6-LDL1/2. Our results indicated that the global expression of lncRNAs is increased in hda6/ldl1/2 and that this increased lncRNA expression is particularly associated with H3Ac/H3K4me2 changes. In addition, we found that HDA6-LDL1/2 is important for repressing lncRNAs that are non-expressed or show low-expression, which may be strongly associated with plant development. GO-enrichment analysis also revealed that the neighboring genes of the lncRNAs that are upregulated in hda6/ldl1/2 are associated with various developmental processes. Collectively, our results revealed that the expression of lncRNAs is associated with H3Ac/H3K4me2 changes regulated by the HDA6-LDL1/2 histone modification complex.
ComBat-seq: batch effect adjustment for RNA-seq count data
Authors: Zhang Yuqing , Parmigiani Giovanni , Johnson W Evan
Published: September 2020

The benefit of integrating batches of genomic data to increase statistical power is often hindered by batch effects, or unwanted variation in data caused by differences in technical factors across batches. It is therefore critical to effectively address batch effects in genomic data to overcome these challenges. Many existing methods for batch effects adjustment assume the data follow a continuous, bell-shaped Gaussian distribution. However in RNA-seq studies the data are typically skewed, over-dispersed counts, so this assumption is not appropriate and may lead to erroneous results. Negative binomial regression models have been used previously to better capture the properties of counts. We developed a batch correction method, ComBat-seq, using a negative binomial regression model that retains the integer nature of count data in RNA-seq studies, making the batch adjusted data compatible with common differential expression software packages that require integer counts. We show in realistic simulations that the ComBat-seq adjusted data results in better statistical power and control of false positives in differential expression compared to data adjusted by the other available methods. We further demonstrated in a real data example that ComBat-seq successfully removes batch effects and recovers the biological signal in the data.
Tobacco Products and the Risks of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19
Authors: Samet Jonathan M
Published: September 2020

Implications: This commentary addresses the state of the evidence on tobacco products, nicotine, and COVID-19. The evidence of the effects of smoking on respiratory infections and the immune system in general are examined and the current understanding of tobacco products and risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the course of COVID-19 is addressed.
The European Union as a Global Regulatory Power†
Authors: Hadjiyianni Ioanna
Published: September 2020

Global regulatory interdependence is increasingly prevalent, with decision makers often affected by choices of jurisdictions in faraway places. Anu Bradford’s The Brussels Effect makes a significant contribution to our understanding of power in contemporary societies, which extends beyond military and normative power to power defined by regulatory capacity and market forces. Bradford empirically traces the global regulatory power of the European Union, which affects foreign business practices and policy choices, and theoretically identifies the prerequisites for the emergence of this phenomenon. This review article further situates the Brussels effect, perceived by Bradford as a passive process, within the context of other kinds of unilateral mechanisms that actively extend EU regulation beyond EU borders. This contextualisation demonstrates that law is a significant explanatory factor for its emergence. Both the legal design of measures with extraterritorial reach and the Court of Justice’s permissive stance often determine the extent of the Brussels effect. Also, analysing the Brussels effect alongside more active mechanisms of the extraterritorial reach of EU law reveals important normative questions regarding the legitimacy of the EU as a global regulatory power.
Quantitative and semi-quantitative assessment of synovitis on MRI and the relationship with symptoms in symptomatic knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Perry Thomas A , Yang Xiaotian , van Santen James , Arden Nigel K , Kluzek Stefan
Published: September 2020

Objectives

Synovitis in symptomatic knee OA (KOA) is common and is associated with joint symptoms. Optimal synovial measurement on MRI is, however, unclear. Our aims were to examine the relationship between MRI measures of synovitis and knee symptoms in symptomatic KOA.

Methods

Data from a randomized, multicentre, placebo-controlled trial (UK-VIDEO) of vitamin-D therapy in symptomatic KOA were utilized. Participants reported knee symptoms using WOMAC at baseline and annually. On contrast-enhanced (CE) MRI, synovial thickness was measured using established, semi-quantitative methods whilst synovial tissue volume (STV) was assessed as absolute STV (aSTV) and relative to the width of femoral condyle (rSTV). STV of the infrapatellar region was also assessed. Associations between synovial measures and symptoms were analysed using multiple linear regression modelling.

Results

No linear association was observed between knee symptoms and synovitis thickness scores. Whole-joint aSTV (0.88, 95% CI: 0.17, 1.59) and infrapatellar aSTV (5.96, 95% CI: 1.22, 10.7) were positively associated with knee pain. Whole-joint rSTV had a stronger association with pain (7.96, 95% CI: 2.60, 13.33) and total scores (5.63, 95% CI: 0.32, 10.94). Even stronger associations were found for infrapatellar rSTV with pain (55.47, 95% CI: 19.99, 90.96), function (38.59, 95% CI: 2.1, 75.07) and total scores (41.64, 95% CI: 6.56, 76.72).

Conclusions

Whole-joint and site-specific infrapatellar STV measures on CE-MRI were associated with knee pain, respectively. Volumes relative to the size of the femoral condyle may be promising outcome measures in KOA trials.
Safety and therapeutic value of radiosynoviorthesis with yttrium-90: a Canadian single-centre experience
Authors: Zeiadin Nadil , Rampakakis Emmanouil , Turcotte Eric , Senta Helena , Sampalis John S , Thorne Carter
Published: September 2020

Background

Yttrium-90 (90Y) is approved in several countries as a radiosynoviorthesis agent in the intra-articular treatment of synovitis, however, no such radiopharmaceuticals are approved in Canada. The aim of this Health Canada–approved study was to examine the safety and efficacy of 90Y synovectomy among patients with refractory synovitis.

Methods

We performed a subset analysis of a prospective, phase III, single-arm, pan-Canadian trial. Large and medium-sized joints of adults with refractory inflammatory mono- or oligo-arthritis and minimal cartilage/bone destruction who failed treatment with two intra-articular corticosteroid injections were eligible. Patient follow-up was at 3, 6 and 12 months. Outcome measures included joint tenderness, swelling, effusion, joint function and bone scans.

Results

A total of 79 joints were included (90% knees). The underlying diagnosis included SpA (35.2% of patients), RA (26.8%), JIA (8.5%) and other (29.6%). Non-biologic DMARDs were concurrently used in 59.2% of patients and biologic/targeted synthetic DMARDs in 31%. Five adverse events occurred, including one serious radiation burn requiring surgery. All events were non-life-threatening and resolved. Significant improvements in joint tenderness, swelling and effusion were achieved at 3 months (P < 0.001), which were maintained until 12 months. During follow-up, 92.3% of joints did not show radiographic progression. Per the treating physician, clinically important improvement in joint function was observed in 90% of joints.

Conclusion

Our results confirm the safety of 90Y radiosynoviorthesis in refractory synovitis and provide preliminary evidence supporting its clinical efficacy with sustained benefit at 12 months, suggesting that it is a safe alternative to surgical synovectomy in such cases. This is the first such study in a Canadian cohort.
Stridor during sleep: description of 81 consecutive cases diagnosed in a tertiary sleep disorders center
Authors: Silva Cristiana , Iranzo Alex , Maya Gerard , Serradell Mónica , Muñoz-Lopetegi Amaia , Marrero-González Paula , Gaig Carles , Santamaría Joan , Vilaseca Isabel
Published: September 2020

Study Objectives

To describe the characteristics of stridor during sleep (SDS) in a series of adults identified by video-polysomnography (V-PSG).

Methods

Retrospective clinical, V-PSG, laryngoscopic, and therapeutic data of patients diagnosed with SDS in a tertiary referral sleep disorders center between 1997 and 2017.

Results

A total of 81 patients were identified (56.8% males, age 61.8 ± 11.2 years). Related etiologies were multiple system atrophy (MSA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinocerebellar ataxia type 1, anti-IgLON5 disease, fatal familial insomnia, brainstem structural lesions, vagus nerve stimulation, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, the effect of radiotherapy on the vocal cords, cervical osteophytes, and others. Stridor during wakefulness coexisted in 13 (16%) patients and in MSA was only seen in the parkinsonian form. Laryngoscopy during wakefulness in 72 (88.9%) subjects documented vocal cord abductor impairment in 65 (90.3%) and extrinsic lesions narrowing the glottis in 2 (2.4%). The mean apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) was 21.4 ± 18.6 and CT90 was 11.5 ± 19.1. Obstructive AHI > 10 occurred in 52 (64.2%) patients and central apnea index >10 in 2 (2.4%). CPAP abolished SDS, obstructive apneic events and oxyhemoglobin desaturations in 58 of 60 (96.7%) titrated patients with optimal pressure of 9.0 ± 2.3 cm H20. Tracheostomy in 19 (23.4%) and cordotomy in 3 (3.7%) subjects also eliminated SDS.

Conclusions

SDS in adults is linked to conditions that damage the brainstem, recurrent laryngeal nerve, and vocal cords. V-PSG frequently detects obstructive sleep apnea and laryngoscopy usually shows vocal cord abductor dysfunction. CPAP, tracheostomy, and laryngeal surgery abolish SDS.
Sleep quality and risk of cancer: findings from the English longitudinal study of aging
Authors: Song Chenxi , Zhang Rui , Wang Chunyue , Fu Rui , Song Weihua , Dou Kefei , Wang Shuang
Published: September 2020

Study Objective

To prospectively examine the association between sleep quality and incident cancer risk in the elderly.

Methods

A total of 10,036 participants aged ≥50 years free of cancer at baseline from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing at wave 4 (2008) were included, and followed up until 2016. The primary endpoint was new onset physician-diagnosed cancer. Sleep quality was assessed by four questions regarding the frequency of sleep problems and overall subjective feeling of sleep quality in the last month, with higher score denoting poorer sleep quality. The multivariable Cox regression model was used to calculate hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for incident cancer risk according to sleep quality.

Results

At 8-year follow-up, a total of 745 (7.4%) participants developed cancer. Compared with good sleep quality at baseline, HR (95% CI) for incident cancer risk was 1.328 (1.061, 1.662) for intermediate quality, 1.586 (1.149, 2.189) for poor quality. Similarly, compared with maintaining good sleep quality in the first 4 years, HR (95% CI) for incident cancer risk was 1.615 (1.208, 2.160) for maintaining intermediate quality and 1.608 (1.043, 2.480) for maintaining poor quality. The exclusion of participants with family history of cancer or abnormal sleep duration yielded consistent results.

Conclusions

Poor sleep quality is positively associated with the long-term risk of developing cancer in an elderly cohort. Both medical staffs and the general public should pay more attention to improving sleep hygiene.
Alzheimer’s disease neuropathology in the hippocampus and brainstem of people with obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Owen Jessica E , Benediktsdottir Bryndis , Cook Elizabeth , Olafsson Isleifur , Gislason Thorarinn , Robinson Stephen R
Published: September 2020

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) involves intermittent cessations of breathing during sleep. People with OSA can experience memory deficits and have reduced hippocampal volume; these features are also characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), where they are accompanied by neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques in the hippocampus and brainstem. We have recently shown reduced hippocampal volume to be related to OSA severity, and although OSA may be a risk factor for AD, the hippocampus and brainstems of clinically verified OSA cases have not yet been examined for NFTs and Aβ plaques. The present study used quantitative immunohistochemistry to investigate postmortem hippocampi of 34 people with OSA (18 females, 16 males; mean age 67 years) and brainstems of 24 people with OSA for the presence of NFTs and Aβ plaques. OSA severity was a significant predictor of Aβ plaque burden in the hippocampus after controlling for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) use. OSA severity also predicted NFT burden in the hippocampus, but not after controlling for age. Although 71% of brainstems contained NFTs and 21% contained Aβ plaques, their burdens were not correlated with OSA severity. These results indicate that OSA accounts for some of the “cognitively normal” individuals who have been found to have substantial Aβ burdens, and are currently considered to be at a prodromal stage of AD.
Regional Differences in the Structure of Juglans nigra Phytobiome Reflect Geographical Differences in Thousand Cankers Disease Severity
Authors: Onufrak Aaron J. , Williams Geoffrey M. , Klingeman William E. , Cregger Melissa A. , Klingeman Dawn M. , DeBruyn Jennifer M. , Ginzel Matthew D. , Hadziabdic Denita
Published: September 2020

Thousand cankers disease threatens Juglans nigra (Eastern Black Walnut) in urban and natural landscapes. Incidence and severity of thousand cankers disease is higher in the host’s introduced range in the western United States. We hypothesized that these differences are driven partly by geographical variation in the host phytobiome due to its roles in host stress tolerance, nutrient acquisition, and defense. To evaluate the role of the phytobiome in mediating thousand cankers disease, we characterized the J. nigra phytobiome of diseased and healthy trees in portions of its native (Indiana and Tennessee) and introduced (Washington) ranges. Grafted clones present in each state and open-pollinated populations were sampled. DNA was extracted from soil and branch (caulosphere) tissues and internal transcribed spacer and 16s regions were sequenced for characterization of fungal and bacterial communities. We found that microbial communities in the caulosphere and soil differ between native and introduced ranges of J. nigra and harbor different mutualistic and pathogenic microorganisms. Additionally, caulosphere microbial communities were more species rich and diverse in the native range of J. nigra, suggesting greater levels of functional redundancy and multifunctionality in the native-range phytobiome compared with the introduced range. We also found higher network complexity in the caulosphere of trees in the introduced range and evidence for two alternative stable community states associated with diseased and healthy trees. Our results provide support for the hypothesis that geographical variation in thousand cankers disease incidence and severity is partially driven by differences in the phytobiome of J. nigra in its introduced and native ranges.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Does Sex Discordance on Antenatal Ultrasound Always Predict Dichorionicity?
Authors: Chen Kai , Merrill David C , Luo Guo-Yang
Published: September 2020

Monochorionic dizygotic twin gestation is clinically very uncommon but poses significant antenatal and postnatal complications. Here we review the diagnosis, mechanism, perinatal management, and pregnant outcomes of monochroic dizygotic twin gestation.
Successful Deliveries of Twins from Two Pregnant Women Following Preterm Prelabor Rupture of Membranes in the Early Second-Trimester Pregnancy
Authors: Xing Dingxiang , Li Junnan
Published: September 2020

The management of preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) before 34 weeks of gestation is intractable, due to pulmonary immaturity, many complications, poor pregnancy outcomes. In particular, the pre-viable PPROM (<23 weeks of gestation) is much more difficult to be treated. The clinical recommendation is to terminate the pregnancy as soon as possible. The pregnancy outcomes of PPROM in the early second-trimester of two twin pregnant women in our hospital were reported to explore the treatment protocols. The pregnancies of the two women developed PROM at 12 and 16 weeks of gestation, respectively. After expectant treatment, they were delivered successfully at 34+6 and 34+4 weeks of gestation, respectively. The assessment of growth and development of infants was normal during the following six months after birth. Therefore, if PPROM occurs in the early second-trimester of pregnancy, the management of PPROM should be individualized, it's a long process which should include comprehensive communication between patients and families regarding alternative treatment options (including expectant management) and risks and benefits of the procedure. In the absence of spontaneous labor or occurrence of complications that would prompt delivery (intra-amniotic infection, abruptio placenta, cord prolapse), and fetal status is normal, the patients should proceed with expectant treatment, induction of labor is commonly performed in pregnancies with PPROM ≥34 weeks of gestation.
Low Expression of FGF23 and Its Effect on Rats with Intrauterine Growth Retardation
Authors: Gui Shun-Ping , Zou Heng , Bai Yi , Liu Min , Wang Tao , Zhou Rong
Published: September 2020

Objective:

To explore the levels of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) during pregnancy and its relationship with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

Methods:

Pregnant rats were classified into an ad libitum rat chow group (ad libitum rat chow, AD group,n = 25) and an undernutrition group (50% of their daily food requirement, UN group,n = 25). The levels of maternal serum FGF23, tissue homogenate FGF23, and bone gla protein in fetal rats, and placental FGF23 mRNA and protein expression were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time qPCR analysis respectively. Finally, the effect of recombinant FGF23 on the viability of MG-63 cells was determined by cell proliferation assay. Data were analyzed with independent two-tailedttest and one-way analysis of variance. Spearman rank- order correlation coefficients (continuous variables) was performed to determine the relationship of results.

Results:

The diet restriction induced IUGR in rat offsprings, and the UN group exhibited a significantly lower FGF23 level (P < 0.05,n = 25). The FGF23 level was increased and peaked in maternal serum on gestation day (GD) 15, but peaked in fetal and placenta on GD20. Moreover, the tissue homogenate levels of FGF23 and bone gla protein in fetal rats in both groups were positively correlated (r = 0.923,P < 0.05;r = 0.925,P < 0.05, respectively,n = 25), FGF23 was localized to both decidual and labyrinth zones, with remarkably higher expression on GD20,P < 0.05,n = 25. In vitro, recombinant human FGF23 enhanced MG-63 cell viability,P < 0.05,n = 25.

Conclusion:

Prenatal undernutrition could decrease the FGF23 expression in fetal rats caused by the mother through the placenta, and induced the IUGR and hindered the ossification. And the FGF23 levels are peaked on GD15 mother but peaked on GD20 placenta and fetuses, these might be associated with the over compensation of maternal placenta on GD20.
Human Coronavirus Infections and Pregnancy
Authors: Fan Shangrong , Yan Shaomei , Liu Xiaoping , Liu Ping , Huang Lei , Wang Suhua
Published: September 2020

Human coronavirus (HCoV) causes potentially fatal respiratory disease. Pregnancy is a physiological state that predisposes women to viral infection. In this review, we aim to present advances in the pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment in HCoV in pregnancy. We retrieved information from the Pubmed database up to June 2020, using various search terms and relevant words, including coronaviruses, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, 2019 coronavirus disease, and pregnancy. Both basic and clinical studies were selected. We found no evidence that pregnant women are more susceptible to HCoV infection or that those with HCoV infection are more prone to developing severe pneumonia. There is also no confirmed evidence of vertical mother-to-child transmission of HcoV infection during maternal HCoV infection. Those diagnosed with infection should be promptly admitted to a negative-pressure isolation ward, preferably in a designated hospital with adequate facilities and multi-disciplinary expertise to manage critically ill obstetric patients. Antiviral treatment has been routinely used to treat pregnant women with HCoV infection. The timing and mode of delivery should be individualized, depending mainly on the clinical status of the patient, gestational age, and fetal condition. Early cord clamping and temporary separation of the newborn for at least 2 weeks is recommended. All medical staff caring for patients with HCoV infection should use personal protective equipment. This review highlights the advances in pathogenesis, maternal-fetal outcome, maternal-fetal transmission, diagnosis and treatment in HCoV including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and coronavirus disease 2019 in pregnancy.
Potential Therapeutic Options for COVID-19
Authors: Zheng Xiaoqin , Li Lanjuan
Published: September 2020

The recently emerged coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly evolved into a pandemic with over 10 million infections and over 500 thousand deaths. There are currently no effective therapies or vaccines available to protect against this coronavirus infection. In this review, we discuss potential therapeutic options for COVID-19 based on the available information from previous research on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Substantial efforts are underway to discover new therapeutic agents for COVID-19, including the repurposing of existing agents and the development of novel agents that specifically target SARS-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or host factors. Through the screening of compound libraries, various classes of drugs, such as ribavirin, remdesivir, lopinavir/ritonavir, and hydroxychloroquine have been identified as potential therapeutic candidates against COVID-19. Novel antiviral drugs for SARS-coronavirus 2 are being developed to target viral enzymes or functional proteins, as well as host factors or cell signaling pathways.
Microbiological Characteristics and Antibiotic Sensitivity in Patients with Nosocomial Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Caused by Escherichia coli: A Multicenter Study
Authors: Tu Bo , Zhang Yuening , Bi Jingfeng , Xu Zhe , Shi Lei , Zhang Xin , Zhao Peng , Zhang Dawei , Yang Guang , Qin Enqiang
Published: September 2020

Escherichia coli is a prevalent causative pathogen of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). In this retrospective study, we investigated the microbiological characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility of E. coli clinical isolates obtained from liver cirrhosis patients suffering from nosocomial SBP. Our results showed that extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli accounted for 47% of the cases, while 62% of the isolates were multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens. ESBL-producing and MDR isolates showed high incidences of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, but they displayed susceptibility to carbapenems, β-lactamase inhibitors, and aminoglycosides. Importantly, liver cirrhosis patients with MDR E. coli SBP showed a significantly higher death rate than patients with non-MDR infections (P = 0.021). The 30-day mortality of nosocomial SBP was independently correlated with female gender [odds ratio (OR) = 5.200, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.194–22.642], liver failure (OR = 9.609, 95% CI = 1.914–48.225), hepatocellular carcinoma (OR = 8.176, 95% CI = 2.065–32.364), hepatic encephalopathy (OR = 8.176, 95% CI = 2.065–32.364), model of end-stage liver disease score (OR = 1.191, 95% CI = 1.053–1.346), white blood cell count (OR = 0.847, 95% CI = 0.737–0.973), and ascites polymorphonuclear (OR = 95.903, 95% CI = 3.410–2697.356). In conclusion, third-generation cephalosporins may be inappropriate for empiric treatment of nosocomial SBP caused by E. coli, due to the widespread presence of ESBLs and high incidence of MDR pathogens.
Defense Mechanisms, Gender, and Adaptiveness in Emerging Personality Disorders in Adolescent Outpatients
Authors: Di Giuseppe Mariagrazia , Perry John Christopher , Conversano Ciro , Gelo Omar Carlo Gioacchino , Gennaro Alessandro
Published: September 2020

The present study focused on demographic and personality differences in the use of 30 defense mechanisms in adolescents with personality psychopathology and explored the hierarchical organization of personality traits based on the adaptiveness of defensive functioning. A total of 102 self-referred adolescent outpatients were interviewed and assessed on defense mechanisms and personality traits using the Defense Mechanisms Rating Scales and the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure 200 for Adolescents, respectively. Age and gender differences were found throughout the hierarchy. Pearson's correlations revealed a hierarchical organization of emerging personality disorders (PDs) in adolescence. More adaptive defenses were clearly associated with healthier personality style, whereas more pathological personality styles such as those with borderline traits were characterized by more rigid and maladaptive defenses. Dissociation was also associated with maladaptive personality types. Identifying the defenses associated with emerging personality disorders may inform the unconscious function of defense mechanisms in specific PDs. The systematic assessment of defense mechanisms might also help therapists to monitor changes during treatment.
Restricted Convalescence Following Urogynecologic Procedures: 1-Year Outcomes From a Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Mueller Margaret G. , Collins Sarah A. , Lewicky-Gaupp Christina , Tavathia Meera , Kenton Kimberly
Published: September 2020

Objective

To assess the relationship between postoperative activity recommendations and satisfaction and anatomic and functional outcomes 1 year after surgery for symptomatic prolapse.

Methods

This is a planned secondary analysis reporting 1-year functional and anatomic outcomes of a multicenter, randomized, double-masked clinical trial “ReCOUP.” In the original trial, women undergoing surgery for prolapse were randomized to liberal (no limitations on physical activity) or restricted (heavy lifting and high-impact activity prohibited) postoperative activity recommendations for 3 months after surgery. At 1 year, our primary outcome was satisfaction, assessed using a 5-point Likert scale answer to the question, “How satisfied are you with the result of your prolapse surgery?” Anatomic surgical failure was met if women had prolapse beyond the hymen, apical descent greater than one third the vaginal length, OR retreatment for prolapse.

Results

Of the 95 women (n = 45 liberal, n = 50 restricted) who were randomized and completed primary 3-month outcomes, 83 (87%) completed a functional assessment, and 77 (81%) completed both functional and anatomic assessment at 1 year. Satisfaction with surgery remained high (91.5%) with no differences between groups (86.8% vs 95.6% P = 0.155) as did anatomic and functional outcomes. There were 7.8% women who met criteria for anatomic surgical failure with no difference between the restricted (7.0%) and liberal group (8.8%). Three women (2 in the restricted group, 1 in the liberal group) with recurrent prolapse and underwent surgery.

Conclusions

There were no significant differences in anatomic and functional outcomes at 12 months after surgery in women who resume postoperative activity liberally and those who restrict postoperative activity.
Seramator thermalis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel cellulose- and xylan-degrading member of the family Dysgonamonadaceae isolated from a hot spring
Authors: Liu Lan , Lv Ai-Ping , Li Meng-Meng , Ming Yu-Zhen , Jiao Jian-Yu , Fang Bao-Zhu , Xiao Min , Salam Nimaichand , Li Wen-Jun
Published: September 2020

Two anaerobic bacteria, designated strains SYSU GA16112T and SYSU GA16107, were isolated from a hot spring in Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, south-west PR China. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains SYSU GA16112T and SYSU GA16107 belong to the family Dysgonamonadaceae. Cells of strains SYSU GA16112T and SYSU GA16107 were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped and non-motile. The major fatty acids (>10 %) of strains SYSU GA16112T and SYSU GA16107 were identified as anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0 3OH. The polar lipid profile of strain SYSU GA16112T was found to consist of phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminophospholipids, two unidentified phosphoglycolipids, two unidentified aminolipids and one unidentified polar lipid, while that of strain SYSU GA16107 consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified polar lipids, three unidentified aminophospholipids, two unidentified phosphoglycolipids and one unidentified aminolipid. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains SYSU GA16112T and SYSU GA16107 were determined to be 41.90 and 41.89 %, respectively, and the average
nucleotide identity value between them was 99.99 %. Based on their morphological and physiological properties, and results of phylogenetic analyses, strains SYSU GA16112T and SYSU GA16107 are considered to represent a novel species of a novel genus, for which the name Seramator thermalis gen. nov., sp. nov. (type strain SYSU GA16112T=CGMCC 1.5281T=KCTC 15753T) is proposed.
Role of Growth factors (HB-EGF, VEGF-A) and Immunotolerance Mediators (TNF-αIFN-γ,PD-L1 and IL-10) in Acute and Chronic Otitis Media
Authors: Selvakumari M. , AnandKarthikeyan D. , Ramakrishnan R. , George Melvin
Published: September 2020

Objectives

There is an increasing evidence of immune mediated mechanism in the etiopathogenesis of Otitis Media – ‘middle ear inflammation’. The aim of the present study was to determine the expression of important circulatoryregulators of‘immunotolerance’as biomarkers.

Materials and Methods

In this cross sectional study, a total of 44 OM patients and 37 controls were included. Blood plasma level of HB-EGF, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ, PD-L1 and VEGF-A were quantified using Human Magnetic Luminex assay.

Results

The study showed statistical significant differences in the levels of VEGF-A between OM patients with and without tympanic membrane perforations (p<0.05). Moreover, we found comparatively higher level of PD-L1 in OM patients than controls. However, the level of growth factor HB-EGF, is significantly higher in controls than the cases (p<0.05). There was also a correlation between the levels of HB-EGF and VEGF-A and the severity of the disease condition.

Conclusions

Role of inflammatory mediators and cytokines like PD-L1, IFNγ, TNFα and IL-10in OM patients as a biomarkers are very minimal. VEFG-A have a significant role in the pathogenesis of OM.Further studies are required for better understanding of the role of these immunosuppressive mediators in the eitopathogenesis of OM.
Cognitive resilience in bilinguals and its potentiality in dealing with cognitive load
Authors: Doroud Setareh , Saeedi Zari , Radman Narges
Published: September 2020

Previous studies have demonstrated different patterns of results regarding cognitive benefits of bilingualism, ranging from bilingual advantage to no effect of bilingualism. This study examined the potential effect of bilingualism on cognitive resilience and performance. We recruited 21 Persian monolinguals and 19 Persian-English bilinguals. Color-Word Stroop task was used concurrently with verbal production tasks in order to produce three levels of task difficulty, i.e., doing the Stroop task while being silent (level 1), alphabet reciting (level 2), and counting odd numbers (level 3). We investigated the pattern of changes in Stroop task performance when faced with different difficulty levels Bilinguals showed less change in their performance in the Stroop task when faced with high cognitive load (high task difficulty level). However, monolinguals showed a significant decrease in their performance when the cognitive load increased. Our data support the “Bilingual Advantage” view. However, this advantage is highlighted in cognitively demanding tasks.
The neuropeptide SMYamide, a SIFamide paralog, is expressed by salivary gland innervating neurons in the American cockroach and likely functions as a hormone
Authors: Veenstra Jan A.
Published: September 2020

The SMYamide genes are paralogs of the SIFamide genes and code for neuropeptides that are structurally similar to SIFamide. In the American cockroach,Periplanea americana, the SMYamide gene is specifically expressed in the SN2 neurons that innervate the salivary glands and are known to produce action potentials during feeding. The innervation of the salivary glands by the SN2 neurons is such that one has to expect that on activation of these neurons significant amounts of SMYamide will be released into the hemolymph, thus suggesting that SMYamide also functions as a hormone. In thePeriplanetagenome there are two putative SIFamide receptors and these are both expressed not only in the central nervous system and the salivary gland, but also in the gonads and other peripheral tissues. This reinforces the hypothesis that SMYamide also has an endocrine function in this species.
Associations Between Physical Fitness and Brain Structure in Young Adulthood
Authors: Best John R. , Dao Elizabeth , Churchill Ryan , Cosco Theodore D.
Published: September 2020

A comprehensive analysis of associations between physical fitness and brain structure in young adulthood is lacking, and further, it is unclear the degree to which associations between physical fitness and brain health can be attributed to a common genetic pathway or to environmental factors that jointly influences physical fitness and brain health. This study examined genotype-confirmed monozygotic and dizygotic twins, along with non-twin full-siblings to estimate the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to variation within, and covariation between, physical fitness and brain structure. Participants were 1065 young adults between the ages of 22 and 36 from open-access Young Adult Human Connectome Project (YA-HCP). Physical fitness was assessed by submaximal endurance (two-minute walk test), grip strength, and body mass index. Brain structure was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging on a Siemens 3T customized ‘Connectome Skyra’ at Washington University in St. Louis, using a 32-channel Siemens head coil. Acquired T1-weighted images provided measures of cortical surface area and thickness, and sub-cortical volume following processing by the YA-HCP structural FreeSurfer pipeline. Diffusion weighted imaging was acquired to assess white matter tract integrity, as measured by fractional anisotropy, following processing by the YA-HCP diffusion pipeline and tensor fit. Following correction for multiple testing, body mass index was negatively associated with fractional anisotropy in various white matter regions of interest (all |z| statistics > 3.9) and positively associated with cortical thickness within the right superior parietal lobe (z statistic = 4.6). Performance-based measures of fitness (i.e., endurance and grip strength) were not associated with any structural neuroimaging markers. Behavioral genetic analysis suggested that heritability of white matter integrity varied by region, but consistently explained >50% of the phenotypic variation. Heritability of right superior parietal thickness was large (∼75% variation). Heritability of body mass index was also fairly large (∼60% variation). Generally,toof the correlation between brain structure and body mass index could be attributed to heritability effects. Overall, this study suggests that greater body mass index is associated with lower white matter integrity, which may be due to common genetic effects that impact body composition and white matter integrity.
Making WAVES in Breedbase: An Integrated Spectral Data Storage and Analysis Pipeline for Plant Breeding Programs
Authors: Hershberger Jenna , Morales Nicolas , Simoes Christiano C. , Ellerbrock Bryan , Bauchet Guillaume , Mueller Lukas A. , Gore Michael A.
Published: September 2020

Visible and near-infrared (vis-NIRS) spectroscopy is a promising tool for increasing phenotyping throughput in plant breeding programs, but existing analysis software packages are not optimized for a breeding context. Additionally, commercial software options are often outside of budget constraints for some breeding and research programs. To that end, we developed an open-source R package,waves, for the streamlined analysis of spectral data with several cross-validation schemes to assess prediction accuracy.Wavesis compatible with a wide range of spectrometer models and performs visualization, filtering, aggregation, cross-validation set formation, model training, and prediction functions for the association of vis-NIRS spectra with reference measurements. Furthermore, we have integrated this package into the Breedbase family of open-source databases, expanding the analysis capabilities of this growing digital ecosystem to a number of crop species. Taken together, the standalone and Breedbase versions ofwavesenhance the accessibility of tools for the analysis of spectral data during the plant breeding process.

Core ideas

wavesis an open-source R package for spectral data analysis in plant breeding

Breeding relevant cross-validation schemes to evaluate predictive accuracy of models

Extension of Breedbase—an open-source database—to support spectral data storage

Graphical user interface developed for implementation ofwavesin Breedbase
Regular caffeine intake attenuates REM sleep promotion and sleep quality in healthy men
Authors: Weibel Janine , Lin Yu-Shiuan , Landolt Hans-Peter , Berthomier Christian , Brandewinder Marie , Kistler Joshua , Rehm Sophia , Rentsch Katharina M. , Meyer Martin , Borgwardt Stefan , Cajochen Christian , Reichert Carolin F.
Published: September 2020

Acute caffeine intake can attenuate homeostatic sleep pressure and worsen sleep quality. Besides, caffeine intake – particularly in high doses and close to bedtime – may also affect circadian-regulated REM sleep promotion, an important determinant of subjective sleep quality. However, it is not known whether such changes persist under chronic caffeine consumption during daytime. Twenty male caffeine consumers (26.4 ± 4 years old, habitual caffeine intake 478.1 ± 102.8 mg/day) participated in a double-blind crossover study. Each volunteer completed a caffeine (3 × 150 mg caffeine daily), a withdrawal (3 × 150 mg caffeine for eight days then placebo), and a placebo condition. After ten days of controlled intake and a fixed sleep-wake cycle, we recorded 8 h of electroencephalography starting 5 h after habitual bedtime (i.e., start on average at 04:22 am which is around the peak of circadian REM sleep promotion). A 60 min evening nap preceded each sleep episode and reduced high sleep pressure levels. While total sleep time and sleep architecture did not significantly differ between the three conditions, REM latency was longer after daily caffeine intake compared to both placebo and withdrawal. Moreover, the accumulation of REM sleep proportion was slower, and volunteers reported more difficulties at awakening after sleep and feeling more tired upon wake-up in the caffeine condition compared to placebo. Our data indicate that besides acute also regular daytime caffeine intake affects REM sleep regulation in men. We have evidence that regular caffeine intake during daytime weakens circadian sleep promotion when compared to placebo. Moreover, the observed caffeine-induced deterioration in the quality of awakening may suggest a potential motive to reinstate caffeine intake after sleep.
LiftPose3D, a deep learning-based approach for transforming 2D to 3D pose in laboratory animals
Authors: Gosztolai Adam , Günel Semih , Ríos Victor Lobato , Abrate Marco Pietro , Morales Daniel , Rhodin Helge , Fua Pascal , Ramdya Pavan
Published: September 2020

Markerless 3D pose estimation has become an indispensable tool for kinematic studies of laboratory animals. Most current methods recover 3D pose by multi-view triangulation of deep network-based 2D pose estimates. However, triangulation requires multiple, synchronized cameras and elaborate calibration protocols that hinder its widespread adoption in laboratory studies. Here, we describe LiftPose3D, a deep network-based method that overcomes these barriers by reconstructing 3D poses from a single 2D camera view. We illustrate LiftPose3D’s versatility by applying it to multiple experimental systems using flies, mice, rats, and macaque monkeys and in circumstances where 3D triangulation is impractical or impossible. Our framework achieves accurate lifting for stereotyped and non-stereotyped behaviors from different camera angles. Thus, LiftPose3D permits high-quality 3D pose estimation in the absence of complex camera arrays, tedious calibration procedures, and despite occluded body parts in freely behaving animals.