bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimizing the electronic health record: An inpatient sprint addresses provider burnout and improves electronic health record satisfaction
Authors: Simpson Jennifer R , Lin Chen-Tan , Sieja Amber , Sillau Stefan H , Pell Jonathan
Published: September 2020

Objective

We sought reduce electronic health record (EHR) burden on inpatient clinicians with a 2-week EHR optimization sprint.

Materials and Methods

A team led by physician informaticists worked with 19 advanced practice providers (APPs) in 1 specialty unit. Over 2 weeks, the team delivered 21 EHR changes, and provided 39 one-on-one training sessions to APPs, with an average of 2.8 hours per provider. We measured Net Promoter Score, thriving metrics, and time spent in the EHR based on user log data.

Results

Of the 19 APPs, 18 completed 2 or more sessions. The EHR Net Promoter Score increased from 6 to 60 postsprint (1.0; 95% confidence interval, 0.3-1.8; P = .01). The NPS for the Sprint itself was 93, a very high rating. The 3-axis emotional thriving, emotional recovery, and emotional exhaustion metrics did not show a significant change. By user log data, time spent in the EHR did not show a significant decrease; however, 40% of the APPs responded that they spent less time in the EHR.

Conclusions

This inpatient sprint improved satisfaction with the EHR.
Problem Severity, Collaborative Stage, and Partner Selection in US Cities
Authors: Kalesnikaite Vaiva , Neshkova Milena I
Published: September 2020

Prior research identifies problem severity as an important antecedent of collaboration. Yet, little is known about how problem severity shapes collaborative behavior of public organizations beyond the initial decision to engage in such action. This study adds to the theory of collaboration by linking problem severity to the stage of collaborative activity and partner selection. We empirically test the validity of these linkages in the context of US local governments and examine how they respond to a wicked public problem—sea-level rise. The analysis draws on 2017 survey data from 140 vulnerable municipalities across 20 states. We find that cities respond to higher risk by increasing their collaborative effort and seeking partners across sectors, with preference for those less similar to them. Our results remain robust to three objective measures of problem severity, as well as to a perception-based measure. A closer examination of the interplay between the effect of real and perceived threat underscores the need to account for the views of local decision makers.
Child and Family Outcomes Following Pandemics: A Systematic Review and Recommendations on COVID-19 Policies
Authors: C. Fong Vanessa , Iarocci Grace
Published: September 2020

Objective

A systematic review of mental health outcomes and needs of children and families during past pandemics was conducted based on the PRISMA protocol. The objectives were to evaluate the quality of existing studies on this topic, determine what is known about mental health outcomes and needs of children and families, and provide recommendations for how COVID-19 policies can best support children and families.

Methods

Seventeen studies were identified through a search of PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.

Results

Studies examining child outcomes indicate that social isolation and quarantining practices exert a substantial negative impact on child anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and fear symptoms. Potential risk factors such as living in rural areas, being female, and increasing grade level may exacerbate negative mental health outcomes for children. Studies examining parental and family outcomes indicate that parents experience high stress, anxiety, and financial burden during pandemics. The age of the parent and family socioeconomic status (SES) appeared to mitigate negative outcomes, where older parents and higher SES families had lower rates of mental health problems. Parents’ fear over the physical and mental health of their children, concerns over potential job loss and arranging childcare contributes to elevated stress and poorer well-being.

Conclusions

Findings from this review suggest current gaps in COVID-19 policies and provide recommendations such implementing “family-friendly” policies that are inclusive and have flexible eligibility criteria. Examples include universal paid sick leave for parents and financial supports for parents who are also frontline workers and are at an elevated risk for contracting the disease.
Parenting-Related Exhaustion During the Italian COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Marchetti Daniela , Fontanesi Lilybeth , Mazza Cristina , Di Giandomenico Serena , Roma Paolo , Verrocchio Maria Cristina
Published: September 2020

Objective

Worldwide, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has generated significant worry, uncertainty, anxiety, sadness, and loneliness. In Italy, these effects have been particularly pronounced. While research on the COVID-19 outbreak has mainly focused on the clinical features of infected patients and the psychological impact on the general population and health professionals, no investigation has yet assessed the psychological impact of the pandemic on parents. In the present research, we conducted a web-based survey of Italian parents to examine the prevalence of parenting-related exhaustion—and to identify its associated risk and protective factors—4 weeks into the lockdown.

Methods

A total of 1,226 parents provided their consent to participate in the study and completed a demographic questionnaire, information relating to particular COVID-19 experiences, and measures of emotional exhaustion, parental resilience, social connections, and psychological distress during the lockdown.

Results

Seventeen percent of our sample experienced significant parenting-related exhaustion, with mothers more severely affected. Multiple regression analyses showed that greater parenting-related exhaustion was predicted by psychological distress, lower parental resilience, motherhood, fewer perceived social connections, and being single, as well as having a child with special needs, having a large number of children, and having younger children.

Conclusion

The findings add further support to the call for preventive programs to support parents throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health professionals and social workers should be warned of the effects of lockdown and social distancing on parenting and, consequently, the well-being of children.
The All-Sky SignAl Short-Spacing INterferometer (ASSASSIN) – I. Global-sky measurements with the Engineering Development Array-2
Authors: McKinley B , Trott C M , Sokolowski M , Wayth R B , Sutinjo A , Patra N , NambissanT. J , Ung D C X
Published: September 2020

Aiming to fill a crucial gap in our observational knowledge of the early Universe, experiments around the world continue to attempt to verify the claimed detection of the redshifted 21-cm signal from Cosmic Dawn by the EDGES experiment. This sky-averaged or ‘global’ signal from neutral hydrogen should be detectable at low radio frequencies (50–200 MHz), but is difficult to measure due to bright foreground emission and difficulties in reaching the required levels of instrumental-calibration precision. In this paper, we outline our progress toward using a novel new method to measure the global redshifted 21-cm signal. Motivated by the need to use alternative methods with very different systematic errors to EDGES for an independent result, we employ an array of closely spaced antennas to measure the global-sky signal interferometrically, rather than using the conventional approach with a single antenna. We use simulations to demonstrate our newly developed methods and show that, for an idealized instrument, a 21-cm signal could theoretically be extracted from the visibilities of an array of closely spaced dipoles. We verify that our signal-extraction methods work on real data using observations made with a Square-Kilometre-Array-like prototype, the Engineering Development Array-2. Finally, we use the lessons learned in both our simulations and observations to lay out a clear plan for future work, which will ultimately lead to a new global redshifted 21-cm instrument: the All-Sky SignAl Short-Spacing INterferometer (ASSASSIN).
Unraveling the Genetic Basis for the Rapid Diversification of Male Genitalia between Drosophila Species
Authors: Hagen Joanna F D , Mendes Cláudia C , Booth Shamma R , Figueras Jimenez Javier , Tanaka Kentaro M , Franke Franziska A , Baudouin-Gonzalez Luis , Ridgway Amber M , Arif Saad , Nunes Maria D S , McGregor Alistair P
Published: September 2020

In the last 240,000 years, males of the Drosophila simulans species clade have evolved striking differences in the morphology of their epandrial posterior lobes and claspers (surstyli). These appendages are used for grasping the female during mating and so their divergence is most likely driven by sexual selection. Mapping studies indicate a highly polygenic and generally additive genetic basis for these morphological differences. However, we have limited understanding of the gene regulatory networks that control the development of genital structures and how they evolved to result in this rapid phenotypic diversification. Here, we used new D. simulans/D. mauritiana introgression lines on chromosome arm 3L to generate higher resolution maps of posterior lobe and clasper differences between these species. We then carried out RNA-seq on the developing genitalia of both species to identify the expressed genes and those that are differentially expressed between the two species. This allowed us to test the function of expressed positional candidates during genital development in D. melanogaster. We identified several new genes involved in the development and possibly the evolution of these genital structures, including the transcription factors Hairy and Grunge. Furthermore, we discovered that during clasper development Hairy negatively regulates tartan (trn), a gene known to contribute to divergence in clasper morphology. Taken together, our results provide new insights into the regulation of genital development and how this has evolved between species.
Embryonic fatty acid metabolism in diabetic pregnancy: the difference between embryoblasts and trophoblasts
Authors: Schindler Maria , Dannenberger Dirk , Nuernberg Gerd , Pendzialek Mareike , Grybel Katarzyna , Seeling Tom , Navarrete Santos Anne
Published: September 2020

During the first days of development the preimplantation embryo is supplied with nutrients from the surrounding milieu. Maternal diabetes mellitus affects the uterine microenvironment, leading to a metabolic adaptation processes in the embryo. We analysed embryonic fatty acid (FA) profiles and expression of processing genes in rabbit blastocysts, separately in embryoblasts (EBs) and trophoblasts (TBs), to determine the potential consequences of maternal diabetes mellitus on intracellular FA metabolism. Insulin-dependent diabetes was induced by alloxan in female rabbits. On Day 6 post coitum, FA profiles in blastocysts (EB, TB and blastocoel fluid) and maternal blood were analysed by gas chromatography. The expression levels of molecules involved in FA elongation (fatty acid elongases, ELOVLs) and desaturation (fatty acid desaturases, FADSs) were measured in EB and TB. Maternal diabetes mellitus influenced the FA profile in maternal plasma and blastocysts. Independent from metabolic changes, rabbit blastocysts contained a higher level of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and a lower level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) compared to the FA profile of the maternal plasma. Furthermore, the FA profile was altered in the EB and TB, differently. While SFAs (palmitic and stearic acid) were elevated in EB of diabetic rabbits, PUFAs, such as docosahexaenoic acid, were decreased. In contrast, in the TB, lower levels of SFAs and higher levels of oleic acid were observed. EB and TB specific alterations in gene expression were found for ELOVLs and FADSs, key enzymes for FA elongation and desaturation. In conclusion, maternal diabetes mellitus alters embryonic FA metabolism differently in EB and TB, indicating a lineage-specific metabolic adaptive response.
Gender Bias in Agricultural Child Labor: Evidence from Survey Design Experiments
Authors: Galdo Jose , Dammert Ana C , Abebaw Degnet
Published: September 2020

Agricultural labor accounts for the largest share of child labor worldwide. Yet, measurement of farm labor statistics is challenging due to its inherent seasonality, variable and irregular work schedules, and the varying saliencies of individuals’ work activities. The problem is further complicated by the presence of widespread gender stratification of work and social lives. This study reports the findings of three randomized survey design interventions over the agricultural coffee calendar in rural Ethiopia to address whether response by proxy rather than by self-report has effects on the measurement of child labor statistics within and across seasons. While the estimates do not report differences for boys across all seasons, the analysis shows sizable self/proxy discrepancies in child labor statistics for girls. Overall, the results highlight concerns on the use of survey proxy respondents in agricultural labor, particularly for girls. The main findings have important implications for policymakers about data collection in rural areas in developing countries.
Sensitivities of Cucurbit Powdery Mildew Fungus (Podosphaera xanthii) to Fungicides
Authors: Babadoost Mohammad , Sulley Salisu , Xiang Yiwen
Published: September 2020

This study was conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of cucurbit powdery mildew fungus (Podosphaera xanthii) to major fungicides used for managing this pathogen in the Midwestern United States. Fungicides azoxystrobin from the quinone outside inhibitors group, cyflufenamid from the phenylacetamide group, penthiopyrad from the succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors group, quinoxyfen from the quinolines group, and triflumizole from the demethylation inhibitors group were tested for their effectiveness for preventing infection of cucurbits by P. xanthii. In 2015 and 2016, 37 isolates of P. xanthii were evaluated for their sensitivity to azoxystrobin (Quadris 2.08SC), cyflufenamid (Torino 0.85SC), penthiopyrad (Fontelis 1.67SC), and triflumizole (Procure 480SC) on cucumber ‘Bush Crop’ cotyledon leaves. The number of isolates sensitive to tested concentrations of Quadris 2.08SC, Torino 0.85SC, Fontelis 1.67SC, and Procure 480SC was 8 (22%), 21 (57%), 20 (54%), and 23 (62%), respectively. During 2015 to 2018, Quadris 2.08SC, Torino 0.85SC, Fontelis 1.67SC, quinoxyfen (Quintec 250SC), and Procure 480SC were tested for their effectiveness for managing powdery mildew on pumpkin ‘Howden’ in the field. The results showed that powdery mildew was effectively managed in the plots treated with Procure 480SC and Quintec 250SC. However, management of the disease was less successful in the plots treated with Quadris 2.08SC, Torino 0.85SC, and Fontelis 1.67SC.
Nursing Assessment of Wound-Related Pain: An Italian Learning Survey
Authors: Toma Elena , Veneziano Maria Luisa , Filomeno Lucia , Villa Annalisa , Rosato Edoardo , la Torre Giuseppe
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND

Pain is an important symptom in wound management, and the choice of treatment directly affects the patient's quality of life. Pain assessment (PA) is essential for quality wound care and, in Italy, mandatory by law.

OBJECTIVE

To administer a dedicated learning survey to obtain a better sense of current PA practices, ensure more training, improve procedures, and reduce malpractice.

METHODS

A 16-month learning survey of nurses based on a validated questionnaire developed for this project.

RESULTS

The survey sample comprised 512 questionnaires. Of respondents, 78% were female, 56.1% were older than 40 years, 94% were RNs, and 6% were wound care specialist nurses. Participants performed a range of dressing changes per week (1-5, 46.3%; 6-20, 34.4%; >21, 19.3%). Although 93% of respondents considered PA important, only 26% recognized it as a vital parameter, and barely one-quarter (25.4%) were aware of current legislation mandating PA. The majority (95.3%) believed that PA is not consistent with pain perceived by the patient. Further, 87.3% stated that they did not have adequate knowledge to conduct a PA, 91.4% did not consider themselves up-to-date on PA, and 81% did not document PA results. However, specific wound care training leads to significantly better PA (P < .001): 71.9% of wound care specialist nurses recognized pain as a vital parameter, and 59.4% were aware of current legislation regarding PA; further, 81.3% consistently evaluated pain, 59.4% documented PA results, and 50% communicated the outcome to the physician in charge.

CONCLUSIONS

The results illustrate the lack of sensitivity, training, and education that Italian RNs have regarding PA in wound care.
Maximum Pao 2 in the First 72 Hours of Intensive Care Is Associated With Risk-Adjusted Mortality in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Mechanical Ventilation
Authors: Pelletier Jonathan H. , Ramgopal Sriram , Au Alicia K. , Clark Robert S. B. , Horvat Christopher M.
Published: September 2020

A relationship between Pao
2 and mortality has previously been observed in single-center studies. We performed a retrospective cohort study of the Pediatric Health Information System plus database including patients less than or equal to 21 years old admitted to a medical or cardiac ICU who received invasive ventilation within 72 hours of admission. We trained and validated a multivariable logistic regression mortality prediction model with very good discrimination (C-statistic, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.79–0.92; area under the precision-recall curve, 0.39) and acceptable calibration (standardized mortality ratio, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.75–1.23; calibration belt p = 0.07). Maximum Pao
2 measurements demonstrated a parabolic (“U-shaped”) relationship with PICU mortality (Box-Tidwell p < 0.01). Maximum Pao
2 was a statistically significant predictor of risk-adjusted mortality (standardized odds ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.23–1.32; p < 0.001). This analysis is the first multicenter pediatric study to identify a relationship between the extremes in Pao
2 values and PICU mortality. Clinicians should remain judicious in the use of oxygen when caring for children.
Savitreea pentosicarens gen. nov., sp. nov., a yeast species in the family Saccharomycetaceae isolated from a grease trap
Authors: Sakpuntoon Varunya , Angchuan Jirameth , Boonmak Chanita , Khunnamwong Pannida , Jacques Noémie , Grondin Cécile , Casaregola Serge , Srisuk Nantana
Published: September 2020

Two strains (DMKU-GTCP10-8 and CLIB 1740) representing a novel anamorphic yeast species were isolated from a grease sample collected from a grease trap in Thailand and from an unidentified fungus collected in French Guiana, respectively. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis based on the combined D1/D2 domain of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, Lachancea fermentati CBS 707T was the closely related species with 12.8 % sequence divergence (70 nucleotide substitutions and three gaps in 571 nucleotides) and 28.1 % sequence divergence (93 nucleotide substitutions and 90 gaps in 651 nucleotides) in the D1/D2 domain of the LSU rRNA gene and the ITS region, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated sequences of the five genes including the small subunit rRNA gene, the D1/D2 domain of the LSU rRNA gene, the ITS region, translation elongation factor-1 alpha (TEF1) and RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (RPB2) genes confirmed that the two strains (DMKU-GTCP10-8 and CLIB 1740) were well-separated from other described yeast genera in Saccharomycetaceae. Hence, Savitreea pentosicarens gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed to accommodate these two strains as members of the family Saccharomycetaceae. The holotype is S. pentosicarens DMKU-GTCP10-8T (ex-type strain TBRC 12159=PYCC 8490; MycoBank number 835044).
Cerebellar anaplastic astrocytoma in adult patients: 15 consecutive cases from a single institution and literature review
Authors: Belyaev Artem , Usachev Dmitry , Ryzhova Marina , Gulida Gleb , Skvortsova Vasilisa , Pronin Igor , Kobiakov Grigory
Published: September 2020

Adult cerebellar anaplastic astrocytomas (cAA) are rare entities and their clinical and genetic appearances are still ill defined. Previously, malignant gliomas of the cerebellum were combined and reviewed together (cAA and cerebellar glioblastomas (cGB), that could have possibly affected overall results. We present characteristics of 15 adult patients with cAA and compared them to a series of 45 patients with a supratentorial AA (sAA). The mean age at cAA diagnosis was 39.3 years (range 19-72). A history of neurofibromatosis type I was noted in 1 patient (6.7%). An IDH-1 mutation was identified in 6/15 cases and a methylated MGMT promoter in 5/15 cases. Patients in study and control groups were matched in age, sex and IDH-1 mutation status. Patients in a study group tended to have a more frequent multifocal presentation at diagnosis (13% vs. 4.4%) and were associated with longer overall survival (50 vs. 36.5 months), but the difference did not reach statistical significance. In both cAA and supratentorial AA groups presence of the IDH-1 mutation remains a positive predictor for the prolonged survival. The present study suggests that adult cAA constitute a group of gliomas with relatively high rate of IDH-1 mutations and prognosis similar to supratentorial AA. The present study is the first to systematically compare cAA and supratentorial AA with respect to their genetic characteristics and suggests that both groups shows a similar survival prognosis.
Quantifying heterogeneity in SARS-CoV-2 transmission during the lockdown in India
Authors: Arinaminpathy Nimalan , Das Jishnu , McCormick Tyler H. , Mukhopadhyay Partha , Sircar Neelanjan
Published: September 2020

The novel SARS-CoV-2 virus shows marked heterogeneity in its transmission. Here, we used data collected from contact tracing during the lockdown in Punjab, a major state in India, to quantify this heterogeneity, and to examine implications for transmission dynamics. We found evidence of heterogeneity acting at multiple levels: in the number of potentially infectious contacts per index case, and in the per-contact risk of infection. Incorporating these findings in simple mathematical models of disease transmission reveals that these heterogeneities act in combination to strongly influence transmission dynamics. Standard approaches, such as representing heterogeneity through secondary case distributions, could be biased by neglecting these underlying interactions between heterogeneities. We discuss implications for policy, and for more efficient contact tracing in resource-constrained settings such as India. Our results highlight how contact tracing, an important public health measure, can also provide important insights into epidemic spread and control.
Evaluation of stability and inactivation methods of SARS-CoV-2 in context of laboratory settings
Authors: Westhaus Sandra , Widera Marek , Rabenau Holger F. , Hoehl Sebastian , Bojkova Denisa , Cinatl Jindrich , Ciesek Sandra
Published: September 2020

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the acute respiratory disease COVID-19, which has become a global concern due to its rapid spread. Laboratory work with SARS-CoV-2 in a laboratory setting was rated to biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) biocontainment level. However, certain research applications in particular in molecular biology require incomplete denaturation of the proteins, which might cause safety issues handling contaminated samples. In particular, it is critical to provide proof of inactivation before samples can be removed from the BSL-3.

In this study, the stability of the virus in cell culture media at 4°C and on touch panel surfaces used in laboratory environment was analyzed. In addition, we evaluated common lysis buffers that are used in molecular biological laboratories for their ability to inactivate SARS-CoV-2. We have found that guanidine thiocyanate and most of the tested detergent containing lysis buffers were effective in inactivation of SARS-CoV-2, however, the M-PER lysis buffer containing a proprietary detergent failed to inactivate SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, we compared chemical and non-chemical inactivation methods including ethanol, acetone-methanol mixture, PFA, UV-C light, and heat inactivation.

In conclusion, careful evaluation of the used inactivation methods are required and additional inactivation steps are necessary before removal of lysed viral samples from BSL-3.
Direct Continuous EMG control of a Powered Prosthetic Ankle for Improved Postural Control after Guided Physical Training: a Case Study
Authors: Fleming Aaron , Huang Stephanie , Buxton Elizabeth , Hodges Frank , Huang He (Helen)
Published: September 2020

Background

Despite the promise of powered lower limb prostheses, the existing control of these modern devices is insufficient to assist many daily activities, such as postural control while lifting weight, that require continuous control of prosthetic joints according to human states and environments. The objective of this case study was to investigate the feasibility and potential of direct, continuous electromyographic (dEMG) control of a powered ankle prosthesis, combined with physical therapist (PT)-guided training, for improved standing postural control in an individual with transtibial amputation.

Methods

A powered prosthetic ankle was directly controlled by EMG signals of the residuallateral gastrocnemiusandtibialis anteriormuscles. The participant with transtibial amputation received 4-week PT-guided training on posture while using the dEMG control of powered ankle. A subset of activities in the mini-BESTest (a clinical balance assessment tool) were used in the training and evaluation protocol. We quantified EMG signals in the bilateral shank muscles, biomechanics that captures postural control and stability, and score for the clinical balance evaluation.

Results

Compared to the participant’s daily passive prosthesis, the dEMG-controlled ankle, combined with the training, yielded improved clinical balance score and reduced compensation from the intact joints. In addition, cross correlation coefficient of bilateral CoP excursions, a metric for quantifying standing postural control, increased to0.83(±0.07)when using dEMG ankle control, compared with0.39(±0.29)when using the passive device. Between-limb coordination was also observed as synchronized activation of homologous muscles in the shank. We witnessed rapid improvement in performance on the first day of the training for load transfer tasks, where bilateral CoP synchronization improvement was significantly related to repetition order (R=0.459, p = 0.045). Finally, the participant further improved this performance significantly across training days.

Conclusion

This case study showed the feasibility of dEMG control of powered prosthetic ankle by a transtibial amputee after a PT-guided training to assist postural control. This study’s training protocol and dEMG control method that lays the foundation for future study to extend these results through the inclusion of more participants and activities.
Distributional Transformation improves Decoding Accuracy when Predicting Chronological Age from Structural MRI
Authors: Soch Joram
Published: September 2020

When predicting a certain subject-level variable (e.g. age in years) from measured biological data (e.g. structural MRI scans), the decoding algorithm does not always preserve the distribution of the variable to predict. In such a situation, distributional transformation (DT), i.e. mapping the predicted values to the variable’s distribution in the training data, might improve decoding accuracy. Here, we tested the potential of DT within the 2019 Predictive Analytics Competition (PAC) which aimed at predicting chronological age of adult human subjects from structural MRI data. In a low-dimensional setting, i.e. with less features than observations, we applied multiple linear regression, support vector regression and deep neural networks for out-of-sample prediction of subject age. We found that (i) when the number of features is low, no method outperforms linear regression; and (ii) except when using deep regression, distributional transformation increases decoding performance, reducing the mean absolute error (MAE) by about half a year. We conclude that DT can be advantageous when predicting variables that are non-controlled, but have an underlying distribution in healthy or diseased populations.
Dissociable influences of reward and punishment on adaptive cognitive control
Authors: Leng Xiamin , Yee Debbie , Ritz Harrison , Shenhav Amitai
Published: September 2020

To invest effort into any cognitive task, people must be sufficiently motivated. Whereas prior research has focused primarily on how the cognitive control required to complete these tasks is motivated by the potential rewards for success, it is also known that control investment can be equally motivated by the potential negative consequence for failure. Previous theoretical and experimental work has yet to examine how positive and negative incentives differentially influence the manner and intensity with which people allocate control. Here, we develop and test a normative model of control allocation under conditions of varying positive and negative performance incentives. Our model predicts, and our empirical findings confirm, that rewards for success and punishment for failure should differentially influence adjustments to the evidence accumulation rate versus response threshold, respectively. This dissociation further enabled us to infer how motivated a given person was by the consequences of success versus failure.

Author Summary

From the school to the workplace, whether someone achieves their goals is determined largely by the mental effort they invest in their tasks. Recent work has demonstrated both why and how people adjust the amount of effort they invest in response to variability in the rewards expected for achieving that goal. However, in the real world, we are motivated both by the positive outcomes our efforts can achieve (e.g., praise)andthe negative outcomes they can avoid (e.g., rejection), and these two types of incentives can motivate adjustments not only in the amount of effort we invest but also thetypesof effort we invest (e.g., whether to prioritize performing the taskefficientlyorcautiously). Using a combination of computational modeling and a novel task that measures voluntary effort allocation under varying incentive conditions, we show that people should and do engage dissociable forms of mental effort in response to positive versus negative incentives. With increasing rewards for achieving their goal, they prioritize efficient performance, whereas with increasing penalties for failure they prioritize performing cautious performance. We further show that these dissociable strategies enable us to infer how motivated a given person was based on the positive consequences of success relative to the negative consequences of failure.
Estimates of outbreak-specific SARS-CoV-2 epidemiological parameters from genomic data
Authors: Vaughan Timothy G. , Sciré Jérémie , Nadeau Sarah A. , Stadler Tanja
Published: September 2020

We estimate the basic reproductive number and case counts for 15 distinct SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks, distributed across 10 countries and one cruise ship, based solely on phylodynamic analyses of genomic data. Our results indicate that, prior to significant public health interventions, the reproductive numbers for a majority (10) of these outbreaks are similar, with median posterior estimates ranging between 1.4 and 2.8. These estimates provide a view which is complementary to that provided by those based on traditional line listing data. The genomic-based view is arguably less susceptible to biases resulting from differences in testing protocols, testing intensity, and import of cases into the community of interest. In the analyses reported here, the genomic data primarily provides information regarding which samples belong to a particular outbreak. We observe that once these outbreaks are identified, the sampling dates carry the majority of the information regarding the reproductive number. Finally, we provide genome-based estimates of the cumulative case counts for each outbreak, which allow us to speculate on the amount of unreported infections within the populations housing each outbreak. These results indicate that for the majority (7) of the populations studied, the number of recorded cases is much bigger than the estimated cumulative case counts, suggesting the presence of unsequenced pathogen diversity in these populations.

Significance Statement

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in late 2019, researchers around the globe have sought to estimate the rate at which the disease spread through populations prior to public health intervention, as quantified by the parameter R0. This is often estimated based on case count data and may be biased due to the presence of import cases. To overcome this, we estimate R0 by applying Bayesian phylodynamic methods to SARS-CoV-2 genomes which have been made available by laboratories worldwide. We provide R0 and absolute infection count estimates for 15 distinct outbreaks. These estimates contribute to our understanding of the baseline transmission dynamics of the disease, which will be critical in guiding future public health responses to the pandemic.
Analysis of the Interventions Adopted Due to the COVID-19 on Ari Morbility for Colombia
Authors: Quijano-Angarita Á. , Espinosa O. , Mercado M. , Walteros D. , Malo D.
Published: September 2020

Acute Respiratory Infections are among the leading causes of death globally, particularly in developing countries, and are highly correlated with the quality of health and surveillance systems and effective early interventions in high-risk age groups. According to the World Health Organization, about four million people die each year from mostly preventable respiratory tract infections, making it a public health concern. The official declaration of a pandemic in March 2020 due to the Sars-CoV-2 virus coincided with the influenza season in Colombia and with environmental alerts about low air quality that increase its incidence. The objective of this document is the application of a flexible model for the identification of the pattern and monitoring of ARI morbility for Colombia by age group that shows atypical patterns in the reported series for 5 departments and that coincide with the decisions implemented to contain the COVID-19.
High-resolution two-photon transcranial imaging of brain using direct wavefront sensing
Authors: Chen Congping , Qin Zhongya , He Sicong , Liu Shaojun , Lau Shun-Fat , Wu Wanjie , Zhu Dan , Ip Nancy Y. , Qu Jianan Y.
Published: September 2020

Imaging of the brain in its native state at high resolution poses major challenges to visualization techniques. Two-photon microscopy integrated with the thinned-skull or optical clearing skull technique provides a minimally invasive tool forin vivoimaging of the cortex of mice without activating immune response and inducing brain injury. However, the imaging contrast and resolution are severely compromised by the optical heterogeneity of the skull, limiting the imaging depth to the superficial layer. Here, we develop adaptive optics two-photon microscopy for high-resolution transcranial imaging of layer 5 pyramidal neurons up to 700 μm below pia in living mice. In particular, an optimized configuration of imaging system and new wavefront sensing algorithm are proposed for accurate correction for the aberrations induced by the skull window and brain tissue. We investigated microglia-plaque interaction in living brain of Alzheimer’s disease and demonstrated high-precision laser dendrotomy and single-spine ablation.
Low lymphocyte count is a risk factor for Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Jensen Melanie P , Jacobs Benjamin Meir , Dobson Ruth , Bandres-Ciga Sara , Blauwendraat Cornelis , Schrag Anette ,   The International Parkinson’s Disease Genomics Consortium (IPDGC), Noyce Alastair J
Published: September 2020

Importance

Biomarkers for the early detection of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are needed. Patients with PD display differences in peripheral blood biomarkers of immune function, including leukocyte differential counts and C-reactive protein (CRP), compared to controls. These differences may be useful biomarkers to predict PD, and may shed light on PD pathogenesis.

Objectives

To identify whether peripheral immune dysregulation is a pre-diagnostic feature of PD, and whether it plays a causal role.

Design

Cross-sectional association analysis of the relationship between differential leukocyte count and other markers of acute inflammation at enrolment, and incident cases of PD in UK Biobank. We used Mendelian randomization to establish whether differences in leukocyte differential counts have a causal influence on risk of PD.

Setting

UK Biobank; a population-based cohort with over 500,000 participants aged 40-69 recruited in the UK between 2006 and 2010.

Participants

PD cases were defined as individuals with an ICD-10 coded diagnosis of PD. Cases were defined as ’incident’ if their age at diagnosis was greater than their age at recruitment to UKB. ’Controls’ were defined as individuals without a diagnosis of PD. After applying exclusion criteria for pre-existing health conditions that can influence blood counts, 507 incident PD cases and 328,280 controls were included in the analysis.

Exposure

Blood cell markers (absolute and relative counts) and other markers of inflammation were obtained from blood tests of participants taken at the initial visit.

Results

Lower lymphocyte count was associated with increased odds of incident PD (odds ratio [OR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.65-0.90). There was weaker evidence of association between lower eosinophil and monocyte counts, lower CRP, and higher neutrophil counts on risk of incident PD. The association between lymphopenia and incident PD remained robust to sensitivity analyses. Mendelian randomization analyses suggested that the effect of low lymphocyte count on PD risk was causal (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.85 - 0.99).

Conclusions and relevance

In this large, prospective setting, lower lymphocyte count was associated with higher risk of subsequent PD diagnosis. Furthermore genetic evidence supported a causal role for lymphocyte count on PD risk.

Key points

Question

Is the leukcoyte differential count a feature of pre-diagnostic Parkinson’s disease?

Findings

In the UK Biobank, a longitudinal cohort study with over 500,000 participants, lower lymphocyte count was associated with a 23% increased odds of incident PD, a significant difference. Mendelian randomisation revealed a convincing causal effect for low lymphocyte count on PD risk.

Meaning

Pre-diagnostic Parkinson’s disease is associated with lower lymphocyte counts; the suggestion of causal effect may shed light on PD pathogenesis.
Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies aberrant transcriptional profiles of cellular populations and altered alveolar niche signalling networks in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Authors: Sauler M , McDonough JE , Adams TS , Kothapalli N , Schupp JC , Nouws J , Chioccioli M , Omote N , Cosme C , Poli S , Ayaub EA , Chu SG , Jensen KH , Gomez-Villalobos J , Britto CJ , Raredon MSB , Timshel PN , Kaminski N , Rosas IO
Published: September 2020

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) pathogenesis involves a failure to maintain alveolar homeostasis due to repetitive injury and inflammation. In order to improve our understanding of cell-specific mechanisms contributing to COPD pathogenesis, we analysed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) profiles of explanted parenchymal lung tissue from 17 subjects with advanced COPD requiring transplant and 15 control donor lungs. We identified a subpopulation of alveolar type II epithelial cells that uniquely expressHHIPand have aberrant stress tolerance profiles in COPD. Amongst endothelial cells, we identified overlapping and unique shifts in transcriptional profiles of endothelial subtypes that may contribute to vascular inflammation and susceptibility to injury. We also identified population composition changes amongst alveolar macrophages. Finally, application of integrative analyses to our scRNAseq data identified cell-specific contributions to COPD heritability and dysfunctional cell-cell communication pathways that occur within the COPD alveolar niche. These findings provide cell type-specific resolution of transcriptional changes associated with advanced COPD that may underlie disease pathogenesis.
Slight reduction in SARS-CoV-2 exposure viral load due to masking results in a significant reduction in transmission with widespread implementation
Authors: Goyal Ashish , Reeves Daniel B. , Cardozo-Ojeda E. Fabian , Mayer Bryan T. , Schiffer Joshua T.
Published: September 2020

Masks are a vital tool for limiting SARS-CoV-2 spread in the population. Here we utilize a mathematical model to assess the impact of masking on transmission within individual transmission pairs and at the population level. Our model quantitatively links mask efficacy to reductions in viral load and subsequent transmission risk. Our results reinforce that the use of masks by both a potential transmitter and exposed person substantially reduces the probability of successful transmission, even if masks only lower exposure viral load by ~50%. Slight increases in masking relative to current levels would reduce the reproductive number substantially below 1, particularly if implemented comprehensively in potential super-spreader environments. Our model predicts that moderately efficacious masks that reduce transmission risk by 50% will lower exposure viral load 10-fold among people who do get infected, potentially limiting infection severity. Because peak viral load tends to occur pre-symptomatically, we also identify that antiviral therapy targeting symptomatic individuals is unlikely to impact transmission risk. Instead, antiviral therapy is only effective for this indication as post-exposure prophylaxis, specifically if given to ~50% of newly infected people within 3 days of an exposure. These results highlight the primacy of masking relative to other biomedical interventions under consideration for limiting the extent of the COVID-19 pandemic prior to widespread implementation of a vaccine.
Differences in innate Intracellular viral suppression competencies may explain variations in morbidity and mortality from SARS-CoV-2 infection
Authors: Bello Shaibu Oricha , Igumbor Ehimario , Deeni Yusuf Yahaya , Ochu Chinwe Lucia , Ayodele Popoola Mustapha
Published: September 2020

SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 ravage the world with wide variations in morbidity and mortality that have remained largely unexplained, even by mutations in protein coding regions. In this study, we analyzed available complete SARS-CoV-2 sequences using the CpG index as a signature of Zinc finger antiviral protein (ZAP) activity to examine population variations in innate intracellular antiviral competencies. The result suggests that differential ZAP activity may be a major determinant of the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa, Asia, and pools of asymptomatic patients had I_CpG signature evidence of high ZAP activity, while SARS-CoV-2 sequences from North America and Intensive Care Unit or Deceased patients had I_CpG signature of low ZAP activity. ZAP activity is linked to the interferon system. Low ZAP activity may be part of the explanation for the increased morbidity of SARS-CoV-2 in the elderly and with comorbidities like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. It may also provide some insight into the discrepancies between invitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities of candidate therapies and performance in clinical trials. Furthermore, our results suggest that asymptomatic patients may paradoxically shed a more dangerous virus.
Lack of consideration of sex and gender in clinical trials for COVID-19
Authors: Brady Emer , Nielsen Mathias Wullum , Andersen Jens Peter , Oertelt-Prigione Sabine
Published: September 2020

Sex and gender differences impact the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 mortality. Furthermore, sex differences characterize the frequency and severity of pharmacological side effects. A large number of clinical trials are ongoing to develop new therapeutic approaches and vaccines for COVID-19. We investigated the inclusion of sex and/or gender in currently registered studies on http://ClinicalTrials.gov. Only 416 (16.7%) of the 2,484 registered SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 trials mention sex/gender as recruitment criterion and only 103 (4.1%) allude to sex/gender in the description of the analysis phase. None of the 11 clinical trials published in scientific journals on June 2020 reported sex-disaggregated results. Hence, lack of consideration upon registration does not seem to be corrected during trial execution and reporting. Given the biological relevance and the potential risks of unwanted side effects, we urge researchers to focus on sex-disaggregated analyses already at the planning stage of COVID-19 trials.
Mental health service activity during COVID-19 lockdown among individuals with Personality Disorders: South London and Maudsley data on services and mortality from January to May 2020
Authors: Nuzum Eleanor , Martin Evangelia , Broadbent Matthew , Stewart Robert
Published: September 2020

The lockdown and social distancing policy imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have a widespread impact on mental healthcare for both services themselves and the people accessing those services. Previous reports from the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM; a large mental health service provider for 1.2m residents in South London) highlighted a shift to virtual contacts among those accessing community mental health and home treatment teams and an increase in deaths over the pandemic’s first wave. However, there is a need to understand this further for specific groups, including those diagnosed with a personality disorder who might have particular vulnerabilities. Taking advantage of the Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) data resource with 24-hourly updates of electronic mental health records data, this paper describes daily caseloads and contact numbers (face-to-face and virtual) for individuals with personality disorders across community, specialist, crisis and inpatient services. The report focussed on the period 1st January to 31st May 2020. We also report on daily accepted and discharged trust referrals, total trust caseloads and daily inpatient admissions and discharges for individuals with personality disorders. In addition, daily deaths are described for all current and previous SLaM service users with personality disorder over this period. In summary, comparing periods before and after 16th March 2020 there was a shift from face-to-face contacts to virtual contacts across all teams. Liaison and Older Adult teams showed the largest drop in caseloads, whereas Early Intervention in Psychosis service caseloads remained the same. Reduced accepted referrals and inpatient admissions were observed and there was a 28% increase in average daily deaths in the period after 16th March, compared to the period 1st January to 15th March.