bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of Neutropenic Patients with Clostridium difficile Infection
Authors: Sharma Roopali , Dixit Deepali , Pathickal Sherin , Park Jenny , Lee Bernice , Jain Siddharth , Kairys Joelle , Katchiuri Nino , Park Tae , Narayanan Navneeth , Swamy Siddharth
Published: November 2020

Background: Data from Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in neutropenic patients are still scarce. Objective: To assess outcomes of CDI in patients with and without neutropenia. Methods: The study included a retrospective cohort of adult patients at 3 academic hospitals between January 2013 and December 2017. The 2 study arms were neutropenic patients (neutrophil count <500/mm3) and nonneutropenic patients with confirmed CDI episodes. The primary outcome evaluated the composite end point of all-cause in-hospital mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and treatment failure at 7 days. The secondary outcome evaluated hospital length of stay. Results: Of 962 unique cases of CDI, 158 were neutropenic (59% men) and 804 were nonneutropenic (46% men). The median age was 57 years (IQR, 44–64) in the neutropenic group and 68 years (IQR, 56–79) in the nonneutropenic group. The median Charlson comorbidity score was 5 (IQR, 3–7.8) and 4 (IQR, 3–5) in the neutropenic and nonneutropenic groups, respectively. Regarding severity, 88.6% versus 48.9% were nonsevere, 8.2% versus 47% were severe, and 3.2% versus 4.1% were fulminant in the neutropenic and nonneutropenic groups, respectively. Also, 63% of patients (60.9% in nonneutropenic, 65.2% in neutropenic) were exposed to proton-pump inhibitors. A combination CDI treatment was required in 53.2% of neutropenic patients and 50.1% of nonneutropenic patients. The primary composite end point occurred in 27% of neutropenic patients versus 22% of nonneutropenic patients (P = .257), with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.30 (95% CI, 0.84–2.00). The median hospital length of stay after controlling for covariates was 21.3 days versus 14.2 days in the neutropenic and nonneutropenic groups, respectively (P < .001). Complications (defined as hypotension requiring vasopressors, ileus, or bowel perforation) were seen in 6.0% of the nonneutropenic group and 4.4% of the neutropenic group (P = .574), with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.61 (95% CI, 0.28–1.45). Conclusions: Neutropenic patients were younger and their cases were less severe; however, they had lower incidences of all-cause in-hospital mortality, ICU admissions, and treatment failure. Hospital length of stay was significantly shorter in the neutropenic group than in the nonneutropenic group.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None
Pitfalls of a Staged Implementation of an Automated Hand Hygiene System: Lessons Learned
Authors: Sisler Lori , Nigh Kathy
Published: November 2020

Background: Hand hygiene is the first defense against healthcare-associated infections, yet studies show that adherence to hand hygiene still remains low. An academic medical center selected a beacon-based automated hand hygiene reminder system to improve hand hygiene adherence. Accountability is challenging to enforce without a reliable means to measure hand hygiene adherence. The hospital used secret shoppers to observe hand hygiene adherence. This method captures an estimated 0.5%–1.7% of opportunities and may be influenced by the Hawthorne effect. Methods: In November 2018, a phased trial of an electronic hand hygiene reminder system began in 4 intensive care units (ICUs). The system selected used a badge and beacon technology. The badge identifies each care provider and displays colored lights to show adherence status. Beacons are present on the patient’s bed, soap, and hand sanitizer dispenser. These beacons establish a “patient zone” that captures opportunities for hand hygiene. The specialty beds in the ICUs were supposed to remain on the units. A patient transferring to a lower level of care would be placed on another bed or gurney when leaving the ICU. ICU staff were badged for the system. Results: The phased implementation strategy had challenges with beds, badges, and the system. Despite planning, education, and communication, the beds left the ICU area, so the beaconed beds were outside the ICU, and staff did not always wear their assigned badge. There were issues with the system router as well. Unit leadership and the infection control team worked on processes to get beds back into the units. The implementation team decided to provide badges to staff who regularly worked in the ICU to differentiate from consultation groups that came to the ICU (and were not badged). The system routers were plugged in at various places on the units and had become unplugged so information was not sent for reports. Despite these issues, over the year of implementation, the units did achieve an increase in hand hygiene adherence from 48% to 85%. Collectively, the units achieved a 53% reduction in central-line–associated blood stream infection (CLABSI), reducing infections from 13 to 7 and a 35% reduction in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), reducing infections from 8 to 3 as defined by the NHSN. Conclusions: When implementing a beacon-based, automated hand hygiene system, staged implementation can be challenging. To avoid these challenges, facility-wide implementation is preferable.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None
Predicting Community-Onset Candidemia in an Academic Medical Center Using Machine Learning
Authors: AlZunitan Mohammed , Marra Alexandre , Edmond Michael , Street Nick , Diekema Daniel , Salinas Jorge
Published: November 2020

Background: Candidemia is a leading cause of bloodstream infections (BSIs), and community-onset candidemia is being recognized as a public health problem. In the era of electronic health records (EHRs), we can use machine learning to detect patterns in patient data that may predict infections. Objective: We aimed to predict community-onset candidemia in patients admitted to the University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics (UIHC) using machine-learning algorithms. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data for patients admitted to UIHC during 2015–2018. All adult inpatients who had a requested blood culture were included. Candidemia was defined as a blood culture positive for Candida within 48 hours after admission. Variables of interest were extracted from the EHR: age, sex, body mass index, and month of admission. We also included comorbidities upon admission defined by the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM): cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, chronic pulmonary disease, dementia, rheumatoid disease, peptic ulcer disease, liver disease, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, renal failure, coagulopathy, obesity, weight loss, fluid and electrolyte disorders, anemia, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, psychiatric diseases, malignancy, and HIV/AIDS. We calculated Charlson and Elixhauser scores based on ICD-10-CM codes. We also included prehospitalization conditions (90 days before admission): Candida-positive cultures from sites other than blood, antibiotics/antifungals, hemodialysis, central lines, corticosteroids, surgeries, and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. Mode and median imputation were used for missing information. Random forests with resampled training sets were used for prediction, and results were evaluated using 10-fold cross validation. Results: In total, 30,528 adult admissions were extracted; 73 admissions had an episode of candidemia (<1%). Median admission age was 61 years, and nearly half of admissions were female patients (44.7%). Mean BMI was 27.67. The most admissions occurred during the months of March, August, and November. The 3 most common ICD-10-CM codes were diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cancer. Median Charlson and Elixhauser scores were 1 and 2, respectively. The model used 103 variables. The 3 most predictive variables were Elixhauser score on admission, and characteristics in the 90 days prior to admission were Candida from sites other than blood, use of a central line, and recent use of antibiotics/antifungals. The model’s area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.72. Conclusions: Preadmission patient characteristics predicted community-onset candidemia. Machine-learning models may help detect patients eligible for screening for candidemia and prompt empiric antifungal therapy in high-risk patients in the first 48 hours of their admission.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None
Prevalence and Incidence of Clostridioides difficile Colonization Among a Cohort of Transplant Patients
Authors: Curry Scott , Gill Danielle , Vanderhorst Aisha , Kiley Kate , Salgado Carolina Cassandra
Published: November 2020

Background: Allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) as well as liver, heart, and lung transplant patients have high reported incidence rates of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). The prevalence and incidence of asymptomatic colonization with Clostridioides difficile (ACCD) in this group is not known. Methods: ACCD was defined as the presence of C. difficile on screening cultures without positive clinical testing for CDI ±1 week from the date of sampling. Patients undergoing BMT as well as liver, heart, and lung transplants at MUSC between October 2017 and October 2019 were cultured for C. difficile at admission for transplant then once weekly during inpatient admissions and at each outpatient follow-up for 90 days after transplantation. Testing for CDI occurred at the discretion of treating physicians and was done by PCR. Transient ACCD was defined as a positive culture from samples collected <7 days apart, and persistent ACCD was defined as having 2 or more positive cultures collected a minimum of 7 days apart. Results: The baseline prevalences of ACCD were 1 of 5 (20%), 0 of 2 (0%), 1 of 40 (3%), and 2 of 16(13%) for lung, heart, liver and BMT patients, respectively. Of 63 patients, 3 had a pretransplant history of CDI, 2 of whom had baseline ACCD. Incident ACCD occurred in 23 of 63 patients (37%) (Table 1). Overall, ACCD was observed in 30 of 63 patients (48%). Of the 30 patients with ACCD, 14 displayed persistent asymptomatic colonization, whereas 16 displayed transient asymptomatic colonization. Also, 5 patients in the cohort were diagnosed with CDI after transplantation, of whom 3 had ACCD prior to or following CDI. Conclusions: The baseline prevalence of C. difficile colonization in transplant patients (6.3%) was not substantially greater than those observed in recent studies of hospitalized inpatients, but the incidence of new colonization events (37%) was high in this patient population with numerous pretransplant risk factors for CDI.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None
Proficiency Testing Performances Analysis of Microbiology Laboratories Participating in Cambodia Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Surveillance System
Authors: Nov Vandarith , Chau Darapheak , Pa Kimsorn , Hem Keodane , Krang Sidonn
Published: November 2020

Background: The WHO recommends the establishment of sustainable and evidence-based surveillance systems are recommended for the prevention of microbial resistance. For these surveillance systems, all medical microbiology laboratories are required to participate an external quality assessment (EQA) program that covers antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Clinical microbiology EQA panels with 3 isolates have been provided 3 times per year to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) sentinel laboratories in Cambodia since 2012. We evaluated the performance of laboratory testing implemented between 2016 and 2019, based on 4 years EQA results to highlight the main sources of unsatisfactory analytical processes and to suggest areas for improvement. Methods: We analyzed the results of microbiology EQA in 7 AMR surveillance sentinel laboratories from 2016 to 2019, which were coordinated by the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) under the program of Pacific Paramedical Training Centre (PPTC) from New Zealand. All participating laboratories were required to identify bacteria to the species level, to verify AST results, and to answer a case study question on parasitology. Feedback results and appropriate corrective actions were reviewed to identify the root cause of nonconformity and to suggest areas for improvement. Results: Proficiency test results of participating laboratories from 9 cycles with 27 isolates were analyzed. The overall average of EQA result was 94.0%. The laboratories failed to identify the isolated pathogens in 7.0% of the tests and failed to interpret the inhibition zone of AST (ie, resistant, intermediate or susceptible) in 6.0% of tested strains. The main causes of erroneous of PT results were either preanalytical (ie, handling of the samples, timing of analysis, equipment and reagent management), analytical (ie, quality control, unsuitable methods, confusion of samples, or errors of confirmation), or postanalytical mistakes (eg, interpretation guideline, cross-checking of results, or the information management system). Followed by the root causes, internal quality control and inventory management were the highest-priority suggestions for improvement. Conclusions: All participating laboratories showed good performance on EQA for evidence-based AMR surveillance. The national antimicrobial resistance data quality is sufficiently good and the data should be shared on national and international platforms. However, the regular monitoring of national AMR surveillance system should be conducted for continued quality improvement.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None
Quantifying the Risk of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Transmission From Patient to Healthcare Personnel in the Critical Care Setting
Authors: Adediran Timileyin , Harris Anthony , Johnson J. Kristie , Roghmann Mary-Claire , Hitchcok Stephanie , Liang Yuanyuan , Thom Kerri
Published: November 2020

Background: Healthcare personnel (HCP) acquire MRSA on their gown and gloves during routine care activities for patients who are colonized or infected with MRSA at a rate of ∼15%. Certain care activities (eg, physical exam, care of endotracheal tube, wound care and bathing/hygiene) have been associated with a higher frequency of transmission from the patient to HCP gown and gloves than other activities (ie, administration of oral medicines, glucose monitoring, and manipulation of IV tubing/medication delivery). However, quantification of MRSA contamination and risk to subsequent patients is poorly defined. Objective: We sought to determine the mean MRSA colony-forming units (CFU) found on the gloves and gowns of HCP who acquire MRSA after various care activities involving patients with MRSA. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study at the University of Maryland Medical Center from December 2018 to October 2019. We identified patients colonized or infected with MRSA based on culture data from the prior 7 days. HCP performing prespecified care activities on eligible patients were observed. To isolate the risk of each care activity, HCP donned new gloves and gown prior to a specific care activity. Once that care activity was performed, HCP gloves and gown were swabbed prior to the any further care activities. HCP gloves were cultured with an E-swab by swabbing each digit up and down 3 times followed by 2 circles on the palm of their hands. HCP gowns were sampled by swabbing a 15 × 30-cm area along the beltline of the gown and along each inner forearm twice. E-swab liquid was then serially diluted and plated in triplicate on CHROMagar MRSA II (BD, Sparks, MD) to obtain CFU. We calculated the median CFUs and the interquartile range (IQR) for each specific care activity stratified by gown and gloves. Results: In total, 604 HCP–patient care interactions were observed. Table 1 displays the mean MRSA CFUs stratified by gown and gloves for each patient care activity of interest. Conclusions: The quantity of MRSA found on gowns and gloves varies depending on patient care activities. Recognition of differential transmission rates between various activities may allow different approaches to infection prevention, such as the use of personal protective equipment in high- versus low-risk activities and/or the use of more aggressive interventions for high-risk activities.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None
Reducing Sternal Site Surgical Site Infections by Postdischarge Follow-Up Using WhatsApp
Authors: Warrier Anup , Merin Arlin
Published: November 2020

Background:
We conduct ∼180–200 CABG surgeries a year, and >70% of these patients are diabetic. Our SSI rate for sternal site was 4.4%, above the global benchmarks, and on review of the risk factors, poor glycemic control was identified as a major risk factor. Despite focusing on and achieving excellent glycemic control in the perioperative period, the SSI rates did not decrease significantly. We identified that the predischarge insulin regimens were inadequate for the patient once they returned to meals at home. Hence, we extended the interventions to the postdischarge phase and observed the impact of this change on SSIs. Methods: We developed a multidisciplinary and cross-functional team of cardiac surgeons, endocrinologists, physician assistants, infection control nurses and quality professionals. The CABG admissions information was obtained when financial clearance was sought for the procedure; the quality improvement professionals tracked these patients to ensure involvement of the endocrinology team. The physician assistant conducted the education to the patient and family regarding sugar management and use of a glucometer at home. The quality improvement team took a weekly report from the physician assistant and from the patient regarding the frequency of interactions and achievement of glycemic control. At the time of discharge, each of the diabetic patients who underwent CABG were educated by the physician assistant in the use of a glucometer, were provided with a sugar monitoring and insulin dosing chart as well as a WhatsApp number. The patient’s were instructed to monitor the sugars at specified intervals, to input the data into the personalized chart, and to send it to the PA through WhatsApp. The physician assistant then provided instructions on the insulin dosages using a standing order (dynamic insulin prescription regimen) developed by the endocrinologist. Results: The sternal site infection rate among the CABG patients dropped from 4.44% (4 cases of 90 surgeries) to 1.78% (2 cases of 112 patients), a 60% improvement. Readmissions among the CABG patients dropped from 3 cases in the study period to zero during the project phase. Conclusion: We have achieved significant reduction in sternal site SSI by (1) implementing a novel strategy of focusing on the postdischarge period and home management of blood sugar; (2) using freely available technology, WhatsApp; and (3) effectively using physician assistants by training and developing standing order sets for insulin.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None
Reflex Urine Culture Practices in a Regional Community Hospital Network
Authors: Ling Dorothy , Seidelman Jessica , Ashley Elizabeth Dodds , Lewis Sarah , Moehring Rebekah , Anderson Deverick John , Advani Sonali
Published: November 2020

Background:
Reflex urine cultures (RUCs) have the potential to reduce unnecessary urine cultures and antibiotic use. However, urinalysis parameters that best predict true infection are unknown. In this study, we surveyed different RUC practices in laboratories across a regional network of community hospitals. Methods: We conducted a voluntary electronic survey of infection preventionists to describe laboratory practices relating to RUCs across 51 community hospitals in the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network (DICON) between May 15, 2019, and July 3, 2019. Results: We received 51 responses (response rate, 100%). Most hospital laboratories were located in North Carolina (n = 25, 49%) and Georgia (n = 18, 35%); 28 laboratories (55%) incorporated RUCs. Surveyed laboratories accepted urine samples from any source and various collection methods (eg, indwelling catheter specimens, clean catch specimens). Moreover, 24 laboratories (86%) offered RUCs for all patients, whereas 4 laboratories (14%) restricted RUCs to specific populations (ie, outpatient, emergency room or children). We observed wide variability in the urinalysis criteria used for RUCs (Table 1); 26 unique approaches were used among 28 laboratories. Also, 24 laboratories (86%) used multiple criteria and 4 (14%) used 1 criterion. Of those that used multiple criteria, all 24 proceeded to RUC if at least 1 UA criterion was met. Furthermore, 22 laboratories (79%) incorporated the presence of nitrites as a urinalysis criterion; 21 laboratories (75%) incorporated white blood cell count (WBC) as a criterion. The most frequent WBC cutoffs were “≥5” (n = 11, 39%) and “≥10” (n = 7, 25%). In addition, 21 laboratories (75%) incorporated leukocyte esterase as a urinalysis criterion, with criteria including “positive” (n = 15, 54%), “trace” (n = 4, 14%), “moderate” (n = 1, 4%), and “large” (n = 1, 4%). Also, 17 (61%) laboratories incorporated magnitude of bacteriuria as a urinalysis criterion. The cutoff ranged from “few” (n = 8, 29%), “moderate” (n = 7, 25%), to “many” (n = 2, 7%). Another 3 (11%) laboratories incorporated other criteria: presence of blood (n = 2, 7%) and presence of fungal elements (n = 1, 4%). Only 3 (11%) laboratories utilized epithelial cells as an exclusion criterion where urinalysis would not proceed to culture if epithelial cells in urinalysis samples exceeded the designated limit, ranging from “>5” to “>15”. Conclusions: More than half of the hospitals in our community hospital network utilize RUCs, but criteria varied widely. Future epidemiological research should aim to identify ideal urinalysis parameters as well as specific patient populations that safely benefit from RUC strategies.

Funding: None

Disclosures: None
“Jethro, Who Saved Taunton”: An African Man's Captivity Narrative during King Philip's War
Authors: FLORES DE APODACA ROBERTO
Published: November 2020

This article examines the experiences of Jethro, an enslaved African man who was captured by the Narragansetts during King Philip's War. While captive, Jethro used his bilingualism to gather information about the Narragansett's war plans and then escaped and relayed them to the English. Jethro was granted freedom for this wartime service and went on to purchase property in the North End of Boston. He was representative of the charter generation of enslaved persons who showed that attitudes about race in seventeenth-century Massachusetts were still being formed. This essay further demonstrates how Jethro's story was appropriated by colonial writers at the time for their own unique purposes. Analyzing Jethro's story provides an opportunity to foreground Africanness in American captivity narratives.
Bacchus among the Blackshirts: Wine Making, Consumerism and Identity in Fascist Italy, 1919–1937
Authors: Griffith Brian J
Published: November 2020

This article explores the way in which wine came to be viewed as a quintessentially ‘Italian’ beverage among Italy's middle- and upper-class households during fascism's twenty years in power. Due to significant increases in wine consumption among the labouring classes during the years immediately following the First World War, wine, as a general category of beverage, had become closely associated within the minds of many bourgeois and wealthy consumers with the country's popular taverns and saloons, alcoholism and physical and moral ‘degeneration.’ In response, fascist Italy's typical wine growers, merchants and industrialists worked feverishly to rehabilitate the beverage's downtrodden reputation via a series of wide-ranging public relations and collective marketing campaigns during the 1920s and 1930s. By promoting the beverage's hygienic and alimentary qualities, as well as systematically intertwining the moderate consumption of the peninsula's standardised wines with the dictatorship's nationalisation and popular mobilisation programmes, this article will show, the Industrial Wine Lobby successfully re-established ‘wine's honour’ and, simultaneously, recontextualised the country's typical wines as Italy's wholesome, family-friendly, ‘national beverage’.
Advances in deciphering the genetic basis of insect cuticular hydrocarbon biosynthesis and variation
Authors: Holze Henrietta , Schrader Lukas , Buellesbach Jan
Published: November 2020

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) have two fundamental functions in insects. They protect terrestrial insects against desiccation and serve as signaling molecules in a wide variety of chemical communication systems. It has been hypothesized that these pivotal dual traits for adaptation to both desiccation and signaling have contributed to the considerable evolutionary success of insects. CHCs have been extensively studied concerning their variation, behavioral impact, physiological properties, and chemical compositions. However, our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of CHC biosynthesis has remained limited and mostly biased towards one particular model organism (Drosophila). This rather narrow focus has hampered the establishment of a comprehensive view of CHC genetics across wider phylogenetic boundaries. This review attempts to integrate new insights and recent knowledge gained in the genetics of CHC biosynthesis, which is just beginning to incorporate work on more insect taxa beyondDrosophila. It is intended to provide a stepping stone towards a wider and more general understanding of the genetic mechanisms that gave rise to the astonishing diversity of CHC compounds across different insect taxa. Further research in this field is encouraged to aim at better discriminating conserved versus taxon-specific genetic elements underlying CHC variation. This will be instrumental in greatly expanding our knowledge of the origins and variation of genes governing the biosynthesis of these crucial phenotypic traits that have greatly impacted insect behavior, physiology, and evolution.
Implementation of leakage elimination operators and subspace protection
Authors: Markaida B. G. , Wu L.-A.
Published: November 2020

Decoherence-induced leakage errors can potentially damage physical or logical qubits embedded in a subspace of the entire Hilbert space by coupling them to other system levels. Here we report the first experimental implementation of Leakage Elimination Operators (LEOs) that aims to reduce this undermining. LEOs are a type of dynamical decoupling control that have been previously introduced to counteract leakage from a chosen subspace into the rest of a Hilbert space, and have been widely explored theoretically. Different from other error correction strategies, LEOs are compatible with any gate sequence in a code space, and thus, compatible with universal quantum computation. Using IBM’s cloud quantum computer (QC), we design three potentially applicable examples of subspaces in two- and three-qubit Hilbert spaces and derive the explicit forms of the corresponding LEOs for these subspaces. For the first time, we experimentally demonstrate that these LEOs significantly suppress leakage. The results also show that the LEO time-scale condition can be satisfied with noise in the IBM’s cloud QC and pave a way for quantum setups to get rid of leakage trouble.
Author Correction: Conversion of tectonic and climatic forcings into records of sediment supply and provenance
Authors: Sharman Glenn R. , Sylvester Zoltan , Covault Jacob A.
Published: November 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Single-cell RNA profiling links ncRNAs to spatiotemporal gene expression during C. elegans embryogenesis
Authors: Sun Yan , Yu Qichao , Li Lei , Mei Zhanlong , Zhou Biaofeng , Liu Shang , Pan Taotao , Wu Liang , Lei Ying , Liu Longqi , Drmanac Radoje , Ma Kun , Liu Shiping
Published: November 2020

Recent studies show that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) can regulate the expression of protein-coding genes and play important roles in mammalian development. Previous studies have revealed that during C. elegans (Caenorhabditis elegans) embryo development, numerous genes in each cell are spatiotemporally regulated, causing the cell to differentiate into distinct cell types and tissues. We ask whether ncRNAs participate in the spatiotemporal regulation of genes in different types of cells and tissues during the embryogenesis of C. elegans. Here, by using marker-free full-length high-depth single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technique, we sequence the whole transcriptomes from 1031 embryonic cells of C. elegans and detect 20,431 protein-coding genes, including 22 cell-type-specific protein-coding markers, and 9843 ncRNAs including 11 cell-type-specific ncRNA markers. We induce a ncRNAs-based clustering strategy as a complementary strategy to the protein-coding gene-based clustering strategy for single-cell classification. We identify 94 ncRNAs that have never been reported to regulate gene expressions, are co-expressed with 1208 protein-coding genes in cell type specific and/or embryo time specific manners. Our findings suggest that these ncRNAs could potentially influence the spatiotemporal expression of the corresponding genes during the embryogenesis of C. elegans.
Brain morphometry in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: an exploration of differences in cortical thickness, surface area, and their contribution to cortical volume
Authors: Gudbrandsen M. , Daly E. , Murphy C. M. , Blackmore C. E. , Rogdaki M. , Mann C. , Bletsch A. , Kushan L. , Bearden C. E. , Murphy D. G. M. , Craig M. C. , Ecker Christine
Published: November 2020

22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2DS) is the most common microdeletion in humans, with a heterogenous clinical presentation including medical, behavioural and psychiatric conditions. Previous neuroimaging studies examining the neuroanatomical underpinnings of 22q11.2DS show alterations in cortical volume (CV), cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA). The aim of this study was to identify (1) the spatially distributed networks of differences in CT and SA in 22q11.2DS compared to controls, (2) their unique and spatial overlap, as well as (3) their relative contribution to observed differences in CV. Structural MRI scans were obtained from 62 individuals with 22q11.2DS and 57 age-and-gender-matched controls (aged 6–31). Using FreeSurfer, we examined differences in vertex-wise estimates of CV, CT and SA at each vertex, and compared the frequencies of vertices with a unique or overlapping difference for each morphometric feature. Our findings indicate that CT and SA make both common and unique contributions to volumetric differences in 22q11.2DS, and in some areas, their strong opposite effects mask differences in CV. By identifying the neuroanatomic variability in 22q11.2DS, and the separate contributions of CT and SA, we can start exploring the shared and distinct mechanisms that mediate neuropsychiatric symptoms across disorders, e.g. 22q11.2DS-related ASD and/or psychosis/schizophrenia.
3D hierarchical porous hybrid nanostructure of carbon nanotubes and N-doped activated carbon
Authors: Kamedulski Piotr , Zielinski Wojciech , Nowak Pawel , Lukaszewicz Jerzy P. , Ilnicka Anna
Published: November 2020

In this work, carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/nitrogen-doped activated carbon (AC) hybrids were designed and fabricated using a facile and one-step synthesis. The synthesis of CNTs is based on the recently discovered phenomenon of thermally-induced polyfurfuryl alcohol (PFA) conversion. Hybrid materials are fabricated through the in-situ free growth of closed carbon nanotubes on low-cost activated carbon substrates which were obtained from green algae or amino acids. Herein, three types of carbon nanotubes were observed to freely grow on an activated carbon background from Chlorella vulgaris or l-lysine, types such as multiwalled carbon and bamboo-like nanotubes, whose structure depends on the background used and conditions of the synthesis. Structure type is identified by analyzing transmission electron microscopy images. HRTEM images reveal the tubes’ outer diameter to be in the range of 20–120 nm. Because the carbon surface for the growth of carbon tubes contains nitrogen, the final hybrid materials also possess pyridinic-N and quaternary-N groups, as indicated by X-ray photoelectron spectra.
A novel 3D technique to assess symmetry of hemi pelvises
Authors: Bakhshayesh Peyman , Zaghloul Ahmed , Sephton Benjamin Michael , Enocson Anders
Published: November 2020

Anatomical reconstruction of pelvic fractures has been shown to affect functional outcome. Using the contra lateral side of the extremities to create a template for an ipsilateral reconstruction is common practice in orthopedic surgery. We aimed to assess whether hemi pelvises are symmetrical in terms of translation and rotation using 3D reconstruction, point to point mirroring and merging of the 3D created volumes, a method with previous proven high precision and accuracy. CT images of ten randomly selected patients were used. The DICOM images were converted to STL files. Three dimensional images of left hemi pelvis were reversed and merged with the right side. The posterior aspect of the pelvises was considered static and the anterior aspect as moving. Differences in translation and rotation were measured. There were no statistically significant differences between right and left hemi pelvis. The 95% confidence interval (CI) for all mean angular differences between right hemi pelvis and mirrored left hemi pelvis were − 2° to 1.5°. The 95% CI for all mean translational differences between these two objects were − 2.3 to 2.9 mm. Differences between the right hemi pelvis and the mirrored images of the left hemi pelvis for any patient greater than 3 mm or 2 degrees could be excluded with a 95% confidence. The left and right hemi pelvis of healthy adults are symmetrical enough. The pre-operative planning based on a healthy contra lateral side seems reasonable.
Gamma power abnormalities in a Fmr1-targeted transgenic rat model of fragile X syndrome
Authors: Kozono Naoki , Okamura Ai , Honda Sokichi , Matsumoto Mitsuyuki , Mihara Takuma
Published: November 2020

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is characteristically displayed intellectual disability, hyperactivity, anxiety, and abnormal sensory processing. Electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities are also observed in subjects with FXS, with many researchers paying attention to these as biomarkers. Despite intensive preclinical research using Fmr1 knock out (KO) mice, an effective treatment for FXS has yet to be developed. Here, we examined Fmr1-targeted transgenic rats (Fmr1-KO rats) as an alternative preclinical model of FXS. We characterized the EEG phenotypes of Fmr1-KO rats by measuring basal EEG power and auditory steady state response (ASSR) to click trains of stimuli at a frequency of 10–80 Hz. Fmr1-KO rats exhibited reduced basal alpha power and enhanced gamma power, and these rats showed enhanced locomotor activity in novel environment. While ASSR clearly peaked at around 40 Hz, both inter-trial coherence (ITC) and event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) were significantly reduced at the gamma frequency band in Fmr1-KO rats. Fmr1-KO rats showed gamma power abnormalities and behavioral hyperactivity that were consistent with observations reported in mouse models and subjects with FXS. These results suggest that gamma power abnormalities are a translatable biomarker among species and demonstrate the utility of Fmr1-KO rats for investigating drugs for the treatment of FXS.
Adrenergic supersensitivity and impaired neural control of cardiac electrophysiology following regional cardiac sympathetic nerve loss
Authors: Tapa Srinivas , Wang Lianguo , Francis Stuart Samantha D. , Wang Zhen , Jiang Yanyan , Habecker Beth A. , Ripplinger Crystal M.
Published: November 2020

Myocardial infarction (MI) can result in sympathetic nerve loss in the infarct region. However, the contribution of hypo-innervation to electrophysiological remodeling, independent from MI-induced ischemia and fibrosis, has not been comprehensively investigated. We present a novel mouse model of regional cardiac sympathetic hypo-innervation utilizing a targeted-toxin (dopamine beta-hydroxylase antibody conjugated to saporin, DBH-Sap), and measure resulting electrophysiological and Ca2+ handling dynamics. Five days post-surgery, sympathetic nerve density was reduced in the anterior left ventricular epicardium of DBH-Sap hearts compared to control. In Langendorff-perfused hearts, there were no differences in mean action potential duration (APD80) between groups; however, isoproterenol (ISO) significantly shortened APD80 in DBH-Sap but not control hearts, resulting in a significant increase in APD80 dispersion in the DBH-Sap group. ISO also produced spontaneous diastolic Ca2+ elevation in DBH-Sap but not control hearts. In innervated hearts, sympathetic nerve stimulation (SNS) increased heart rate to a lesser degree in DBH-Sap hearts compared to control. Additionally, SNS produced APD80 prolongation in the apex of control but not DBH-Sap hearts. These results suggest that hypo-innervated hearts have regional super-sensitivity to circulating adrenergic stimulation (ISO), while having blunted responses to SNS, providing important insight into the mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis following sympathetic nerve loss.
Response of wheat, pea, and canola to micronutrient fertilization on five contrasting prairie soils
Authors: Rahman Noabur , Schoenau Jeff
Published: November 2020

A polyhouse study was conducted to evaluate the relative effectiveness of different micronutrient fertilizer formulation and application methods on wheat, pea and canola, as indicated by yield response and fate of micronutrients in contrasting mineral soils. The underlying factors controlling micronutrient bioavailability in a soil–plant system were examined using chemical and spectroscopic speciation techniques. Application of Cu significantly improved grain and straw biomass yields of wheat on two of the five soils (Ukalta and Sceptre), of which the Ukalta soil was critically Cu deficient according to soil extraction with DTPA. The deficiency problem was corrected by either soil or foliar application of Cu fertilizers. There were no significant yield responses of pea to Zn fertilization on any of the five soils. For canola, soil placement of boric acid was effective in correcting the deficiency problem in Whitefox soil, while foliar application was not. Soil extractable Cu, Zn, and B concentration in post-harvest soils were increased with soil placement of fertilizers, indicating that following crops in rotation could benefit from this application method. The chemical and XANES spectroscopic speciation indicates that carbonate associated is the dominant form of Cu and Zn in prairie soils, where chemisorption to carbonates is likely the major process that determines the fate of added Cu and Zn fertilizer.
Synthesis and characterization of rice husk biochar via hydrothermal carbonization for wastewater treatment and biofuel production
Authors: Hossain Nazia , Nizamuddin Sabzoi , Griffin Gregory , Selvakannan Periasamy , Mubarak Nabisab Mujawar , Mahlia Teuku Meurah Indra
Published: November 2020

The recent implication of circular economy in Australia spurred the demand for waste material utilization for value-added product generations on a commercial scale. Therefore, this experimental study emphasized on agricultural waste biomass, rice husk (RH) as potential feedstock to produce valuable products. Rice husk biochar (RB) was obtained at temperature: 180 °C, pressure: 70 bar, reaction time: 20 min with water via hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), and the obtained biochar yield was 57.9%. Enhancement of zeta potential value from − 30.1 to − 10.6 mV in RB presented the higher suspension stability, and improvement of surface area and porosity in RB demonstrated the wastewater adsorption capacity. Along with that, an increase of crystallinity in RB, 60.5%, also indicates the enhancement of the catalytic performance of the material significantly more favorable to improve the adsorption efficiency of transitional compounds. In contrast, an increase of the atomic O/C ratio in RB, 0.51 delineated high breakdown of the cellulosic component, which is favorable for biofuel purpose. 13.98% SiO2 reduction in RB confirmed ash content minimization and better quality of fuel properties. Therefore, the rice husk biochar through HTC can be considered a suitable material for further application to treat wastewater and generate bioenergy.
Differences in pregnancy complications and outcomes by fetal gender among Japanese women: a multicenter cross-sectional study
Authors: Funaki Satoru , Ogawa Kohei , Ozawa Nobuaki , Okamoto Aikou , Morisaki Naho , Sago Haruhiko
Published: November 2020

The association between fetal gender and rare pregnancy complications has not been extensively investigated, and no studies have examined this association in Japanese women. Thus, we used a large Japanese birth registry database to investigate the extent to which fetal gender affects various pregnancy outcomes. We analyzed 1,098,268 women with a singleton delivery with no congenital anomaly at 22 weeks or later between 2007 and 2015. Women carrying a male fetus had a significantly higher risk of placental abruption (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 1.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10–1.20)], preterm delivery (aRR 1.20, 95% CI 1.19–1.22), instrumental delivery (aRR 1.27, 95% CI 1.26–1.29), and cesarean delivery (aRR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.02). In contrast, they had a significantly lower risk of preeclampsia (aRR 0.92, 95% CI 0.89–0.94), placenta accreta (aRR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85–0.96), atonic hemorrhage (aRR 0.95, 95% CI 0.93–0.96), and maternal blood transfusion (aRR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.99). Our findings demonstrate a significant association between fetal gender and various pregnancy complications and delivery outcomes among Japanese women.
Rainy season onset mainly drives the spatiotemporal variability of spring vegetation green-up across alpine dry ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Li Xiang , Zhang Lin , Luo Tianxiang
Published: November 2020

It is still debatable whether temperature or precipitation mainly triggers spring vegetation green-up (SVG) in alpine dry ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau. As phenological sensitivity to the arrival of monsoon-season rainfall would allow plants to simultaneously avoid drought and frost damages in the early growing season, we hypothesize that rainy season onset (RSO) rather than temperature mainly drives the spatiotemporal variability of SVG across alpine dry ecosystems over the Tibetan Plateau. Dates of RSO and SVG across 67 target areas nearby 67 weather stations over the Tibetan Plateau were calculated from time-series data of daily mean temperature and precipitation (1974–2013) and of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (2001–2013), respectively. Satellite-derived SVG was validated by 7-year observations (2007–2013) for leaf emergence of dominant species in alpine meadows along elevations (4400–5200 m) in Damxung of Tibet. We found that SVG generally synchronized with or was somewhat later than RSO although seasonal air temperatures were already continuously above 0 °C in 1 month before SVG dates. In pooled data across sites and years, the analysis of linear mixed model indicated that RSO (F = 42.109) and its interactions with pre-SVG precipitation (F = 6.767) and temperature (F = 4.449) mainly explained the spatio-temporal variability of SVG, while pre-SVG temperature and its interaction with precipitation did not have significant effects on SVG. Our data supported the hypothesis, suggesting that synchronization of SVG and RSO is a general spring phenological strategy across alpine dry ecosystems under influence of monsoon climate.
Artificial intelligence provides greater accuracy in the classification of modern and ancient bone surface modifications
Authors: Domínguez-Rodrigo Manuel , Cifuentes-Alcobendas Gabriel , Jiménez-García Blanca , Abellán Natalia , Pizarro-Monzo Marcos , Organista Elia , Baquedano Enrique
Published: November 2020

Bone surface modifications are foundational to the correct identification of hominin butchery traces in the archaeological record. Until present, no analytical technique existed that could provide objectivity, high accuracy, and an estimate of probability in the identification of multiple structurally-similar and dissimilar marks. Here, we present a major methodological breakthrough that incorporates these three elements using Artificial Intelligence (AI) through computer vision techniques, based on convolutional neural networks. This method, when applied to controlled experimental marks on bones, yielded the highest rate documented to date of accurate classification (92%) of cut, tooth and trampling marks. After testing this method experimentally, it was applied to published images of some important traces purportedly indicating a very ancient hominin presence in Africa, America and Europe. The preliminary results are supportive of interpretations of ancient butchery in some places, but not in others, and suggest that new analyses of these controversial marks should be done following the protocol described here to confirm or disprove these archaeological interpretations.
Synthesis of two new lipid mediators from docosahexaenoic acid by combinatorial catalysis involving enzymatic and chemical reaction
Authors: Yi Jong-Jae , Heo Sun-Yeon , Ju Jung-Hyun , Oh Baek-Rock , Son Woo Sung , Seo Jeong-Woo
Published: November 2020

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been known to have beneficial effects in the prevention of various diseases. Recently, it was identified that the bioactivities of omega-3 are related to lipid mediators, called pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs), converted from PUFAs, so they have attracted much attention as potential pharmaceutical targets. Here, we aimed to build an efficient production system composed of enzymatic and chemical catalysis that converts docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) into lipid mediators. The cyanobacterial lipoxygenase, named Osc-LOX, was identified and characterized, and the binding poses of enzyme and substrates were predicted by ligand docking simulation. DHA was converted into three lipid mediators, a 17S-hydroxy-DHA, a 7S,17S-dihydroxy-DHA (RvD5), and a 7S,15R-dihydroxy-16S,17S-epoxy-DPA (new type), by an enzymatic reaction and deoxygenation. Also, two lipid mediators, 7S,15R,16S,17S-tetrahydroxy-DPA (new type) and 7S,16R,17S-trihydroxy-DHA (RvD2), were generated from 7S,15R-dihydroxy-16S,17S-epoxy-DPA by a chemical reaction. Our study suggests that discovering new enzymes that have not been functionally characterized would be a powerful strategy for producing various lipid mediators. Also, this combination catalysis approach including biological and chemical reactions could be an effective production system for the manufacturing lipid mediators.