bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diabetic polyneuropathy and pain, prevalence, and patient characteristics: a cross-sectional questionnaire study of 5,514 patients with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes
Authors: Gylfadottir Sandra Sif , Christensen Diana Hedevang , Nicolaisen Sia Kromann , Andersen Henning , Callaghan Brian Christopher , Itani Mustapha , Khan Karolina Snopek , Kristensen Alexander Gramm , Nielsen Jens Steen , Sindrup Søren Hein , Andersen Niels Trolle , Jensen Troels Staehelin , Thomsen Reimar Wernich , Finnerup Nanna Brix
Published: November 2019

Most studies of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) and painful DPN are conducted in persons with longstanding diabetes. This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of DPN and painful DPN, important risk factors, and the association with mental health in recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes. A total of 5514 (82%) patients (median diabetes duration 4.6 years) enrolled in the Danish Centre for Strategic Research in Type 2 Diabetes cohort responded to a detailed questionnaire on neuropathy and pain. A score ≥4 on the MNSI questionnaire determined possible DPN, whereas pain presence in both feet together with a score ≥3 on the DN4 questionnaire determined possible painful DPN. The prevalence of possible DPN and possible painful DPN was 18% and 10%, respectively. Female sex, age, diabetes duration, body mass index, and smoking were associated with possible DPN, whereas only smoking showed a clear association with possible painful DPN (odds ratio 1.52 [95% confidence interval: 1.20-1.93]). Possible DPN and painful DPN were independently and additively associated with lower quality of life, poorer sleep, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Possible DPN itself had greater impact on mental health than neuropathic pain. This large study emphasizes the importance of careful screening for DPN and pain early in the course of type 2 diabetes.
Brief Report: Complete Genome Sequence of CG-0018a-01 Establishes HIV-1 Subtype L
Authors: Yamaguchi Julie , Vallari Ana , McArthur Carole , Sthreshley Larry , Cloherty Gavin A. , Berg Michael G. , Rodgers Mary A.
Published: November 2019

Background:

The full spectrum of HIV-1 diversity can be found in Central Africa, including 2 divergent HIV-1 strains collected in 1983 and 1990 in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that were preliminarily classified as group M subtype L. However, a third epidemiologically distinct subtype L genome must be identified to designate L as a true subtype.

Methods:

Specimen CG-0018a-01 was collected in 2001 in DRC as part of an HIV diversity study. Previous subgenomic HIV-1 sequences from this specimen branched closely with proposed subtype L references. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) and HIV-specific target-enriched (HIV-xGen) libraries were combined for NGS to extend genome coverage. mNGS reads were analyzed for the presence of other coinfections with the sequence-based ultrarapid pathogen identification bioinformatics pipeline.

Results:

A complete HIV-1 genome was generated with an average coverage depth of 47,783×. After bioinformatic analysis also identified hepatitis B virus reads, a complete hepatitis B virus genotype A genome was assembled with an average coverage depth of 73,830×. The CG-0018a-01 HIV-1 genome branched basal to the 2 previous putative subtype L strains with strong bootstrap support of 100. With no evidence of recombination present, the strain was classified as subtype L.

Conclusions:

The CG-0018a-01 HIV-1 genome establishes subtype L and confirms ongoing transmission in DRC as recently as 2001. Since CG-0018a-01 is more closely related to an ancestral strain than to isolates from 1983 to 1990, additional strains are likely circulating in DRC and possibly elsewhere.
Procalcitonin Differs in Children With Infection and Children With Disease Flares in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Authors: Trachtman Rebecca , Murray Elizabeth , Wang Cindy M. , Szymonifka Jackie , Toussi Sima S. , Walters Heather , Nellis Marianne E. , Onel Karen B. , Mandl Lisa A.
Published: November 2019

Background/Objective

Patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) often present with signs and symptoms suggestive of serious bacterial infection (SBI). Procalcitonin (PCT) is a biomarker that is elevated in SBI. We conducted a comparative cohort study to test the hypothesis that PCT levels will differ between active JIA, quiescent JIA, and bacteremic patients and healthy controls.

Methods

From October 2016 to May2018, consecutive children 6 months to 18 years of age with (a) active untreated JIA, (b) quiescent JIA, and (c) healthy elective presurgical candidates were recruited from clinics at a musculoskeletal specialty hospital. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis was defined according to the International League of Associations for Rheumatology criteria. Clinical data and serum samples meeting the same criteria were included from a prior study. Consecutive bacteremic patients were identified over the same period. Procalcitonin and other common measures of inflammation were measured. Descriptive statistics and univariate logistic analyses were performed.

Results

Ninety-two study subjects were recruited. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein (CRP), and PCT levels were all elevated in bacteremic patients in comparison to the other groups. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and CRP both had wide ranges that overlapped between groups; however, the PCT concentration was 0.15 μg/mL or greater in 1 of 59 patients with JIA, whereas it was 0.15 μg/mL or less in only 1 bacteremic patient.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP, and PCT levels are all biomarkers that can be used to distinguish SBI versus active JIA at presentation. However, PCT is the most accurate, with the least overlap between patients with infection and noninfectious inflammatory arthritis. This finding can help clinicians direct therapy.
Prevalence of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis and Associated Health Care Utilization Among Patients With Concomitant Asthma in US Commercial Claims Database
Authors: Gokhale Mugdha , Bell Christopher F. , Doyle Scott , Fairburn-Beech Jolyon , Steinfeld Jonathan , Van Dyke Melissa K.
Published: November 2019

Objective

To estimate the prevalence and associated disease burden of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) in patients with asthma from a US claims database.

Methods

Two cohorts were defined using enrollees (aged ≥18 years) from the Optum deidentified Clinformatics Datamart claims database 2010–2014, based on validated EGPA case definitions with varying specificity: EGPA 1 (main cohort; more specific; patients with 2 codes [in any combination] within 12 months of each other for eosinophilia, vasculitis, or mononeuritis multiplex) and EGPA 2 (sensitivity analysis cohort; less specific; patients with 2 codes of above conditions and/or neurologic symptoms within 12 months of each other). Patients had 3 or more asthma medications in the 12-month baseline before index date (date of the second code). Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis prevalence, asthma severity during the baseline period, oral corticosteroid (OCS) use, and health care utilization during the 12-month follow-up period were determined.

Results

Overall, 88 and 604 patients were included in main cohort EGPA 1 and sensitivity analysis cohort EGPA 2, respectively; corresponding annual EGPA prevalence rates were 3.2 to 5.9 and 23.4 to 30.7 cases/million patients. Approximately 75% of patients were prescribed OCS and ~30% experienced 1 or more hospitalization; 75% in EGPA 1 and 52% in EGPA 2 with 1 or more non-OCS prescription in the 90 days before index date had severe asthma.

Conclusions

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis prevalence estimates varied based on specificity of the case definition but were generally consistent with previous country-specific estimates. Despite differences in prevalence, both cohorts displayed a generally similar, high burden of OCS use and health care utilization, highlighting the substantial disease burden among patients with EGPA and the need for specific treatments.
FDG PET/CT and MRI in Primary Spinal Cord Glioblastoma
Authors: Shen Guohua , Ma Huan , Pan Lili , Su Minggang , Kuang Anren
Published: November 2019

Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant tumor of the central nervous system, most of which occur in the brain. Primary spinal cord glioblastoma is extremely rare. A 47-year-old woman presented with recurrent and progressive paresthesia and paralysis of right lower extremity. MR examination revealed a marked nodular enlargement of spinal cord at the T12 level, showing heterogeneous enhancement. FDG PET/CT showed this intraspinal lesion with high FDG uptake. Imaging findings indicated a possible diagnosis of malignant neoplasm. Surgical resection was performed, and the pathologic results confirmed a primary spinal cord glioblastoma.
Optimized CT Attenuation and SUV Prediction Thresholds for Differentiating Enostoses From Untreated and Treated Metastases on Attenuation-Corrected 18F-FDG PET/CT
Authors: Lee Harrison T. , Pryma Daniel A. , Sebro Ronnie
Published: November 2019

Purpose

The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of using CT attenuation and SUVs to differentiate enostoses from untreated and treated osteoblastic metastases on the attenuation-correction CT component of 18F-FDG PET/CTs.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 18F-FDG PET/CT studies of 117 patients (169 lesions), of which 65 had imaging of enostoses, and 52 had imaging showing the transition of lesions from untreated to treated osteoblastic metastases. We measured the mean CT attenuations and the SUVmax and SUVmean of each lesion. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to evaluate the accuracy of each metric in distinguishing enostoses from untreated and treated osteoblastic metastases.

Results

For differentiating enostoses from untreated osteoblastic metastases, mean CT attenuation achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 90.8%, with an optimized threshold of 795 HU. SUVmax achieved an AUC of 94.9%, with an optimized threshold of 2.2. For differentiating enostoses from treated osteoblastic metastases, the AUCs for every metric decreased, with mean CT attenuation being the best at 82.7%. A joint predictive model combining both CT attenuation and SUV increased the AUC to 88.3%, and performance was significantly better than SUVmax or SUVmean alone (P = 0.029 and P = 0.049, respectively).

Conclusions

CT attenuation and SUV can reliably distinguish between enostoses and metastases on 18F-FDG PET/CT. However, the accuracy of these metrics decreases when used to differentiate enostoses from treated metastases. A joint prediction model combining CT attenuation with SUV can improve accuracy.
18F-FDG PET/CT in Graft Versus Host Disease–Associated Polymyositis
Authors: Sood Apurva , Khadwal Alka Rani , Lukose Tinu , Kumar Rajender , Singh Harmandeep , Bal Amanjit , Mittal Bhagwant Rai
Published: November 2019

Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is the most frequent and serious complication of allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Polymyositis is a rare neuromuscular manifestation of GVHD, which often responds well to corticosteroid and immunosuppression therapy. We present a case of a 38-year-old man with a known case of mixed-phenotype acute leukemia after hematopoietic stem cell transplant presenting with GVHD-associated polymyositis. 18F-FDG PET/CT done in this case not only helped in the detection of the muscle involvement but also helped in obtaining precise muscle sample for histopathological diagnosis using PET-guided biopsy.
Testicular Metastasis of Pancreatic Carcinoma on FDG-PET/CT
Authors: Hou Guozhu , Jiang Yuanyuan , Cheng Xin
Published: November 2019

Pancreatic cancer metastasizing to the testis is extremely rare. We present the case of a 65-year-old man who complained of painless swelling of the left scrotum for 9 months. Scrotal ultrasonography revealed a mass in the left testis. Serum CA199 and CA242 were significantly elevated. 18F-FDG PET/CT was recommended for identifying potential malignancy and showed several hypermetabolic masses in the pancreas, left testis, and right lung. Resection of left testicular and pancreatic masses and fine-needle biopsy of right pulmonary mass were performed, and subsequent pathology confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma metastasizing to the testis and lung.
Combination of polyethylene glycol impregnation and paraffin heat treatment to protect round bamboo from cracking
Authors: Rao Jin , Jiang Jun , Prosper Nayebare Kakwara , Yang Xiushu , Liu Tingsong , Cai Wei , Wang Hui , Sun Fangli
Published: November 2019

Round bamboo has drawn more and more attention in architecture, decoration and recreational products. Splitting brings some safety problems, which shorten the service life of round bamboo. In this paper, three schemes were adopted as follows to solve the problem: round bamboo was impregnated in polyethylene glycol (PEG)-1000 solution alone, heat treatment in paraffin alone or treated with the combination of PEG impregnation and paraffin heat treatment (PEG–PH). The treated bamboo was exposed outdoors for 26 weeks to evaluate the development of cracks. Results showed as follows: the initial split of PEG–PH-treated bamboo appeared after 22 weeks, while that of the controls after 2 weeks, the total length of cracks was 2271.31 and 873.5 mm for the control and PEG–PH-treated bamboo, respectively. To reveal the reasons for reduced cracks, scanning electron micrograph (SEM) was employed to observe the microstructure of bamboo; besides, hydrophobicity of bamboo was characterized by the water contact angle. PEG can swell the cell wall and the better hydrophobicity of round bamboo could be achieved after PEG–PH treatment. Therefore, the combination of PEG immersion and paraffin heating is an effective and practicable method in bamboo treatment, especially for round bamboo with high moisture content.
Testing the limits of pheromone stigmergy in high-density robot swarms
Authors: Hunt Edmund R. , Jones Simon , Hauert Sabine
Published: November 2019

Area coverage and collective exploration are key challenges for swarm robotics. Previous research in this field has drawn inspiration from ant colonies, with real, or more commonly virtual, pheromones deposited into a shared environment to coordinate behaviour through stigmergy. Repellent pheromones can facilitate rapid dispersal of robotic agents, yet this has been demonstrated only for relatively small swarm sizes (
N
< 30). Here, we report findings from swarms of real robots (Kilobots) an order of magnitude larger (
N
> 300) and from realistic simulation experiments up to
N
= 400. We identify limitations to stigmergy in a spatially constrained, high-density environment—a free but bounded two-dimensional workspace—using repellent binary pheromone. At larger
N
and higher densities, a simple stigmergic avoidance algorithm becomes first no better, then inferior to, the area coverage of non-interacting random walkers. Thus, the assumption of robustness and scalability for such approaches may need to be re-examined when they are working at a high density caused by ever-increasing swarm sizes. Instead, subcellular biology, and diffusive processes, may prove a better source of inspiration at large
N
in high agent density environments.
Biotransformation of chlorothalonil by strain
Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila
BJ1 isolated from farmland soil
Authors: Zhang Qingming , Liu Hongyu , Saleem Muhammad , Wang Caixia
Published: November 2019

Chlorothalonil is a widely used fungicide, but the contamination of soil and water environments by this chemical causes potential threats to biodiversity. Given the metabolic potential of soil microorganisms, there is a need for developing microbiological approaches to degrade persistent compounds, such as chlorothalonil, in contaminated sites. Here in this study, we isolated a bacterial strain (namely, BJ1) capable of degrading chlorothalonil from a chlorothalonil-contaminated farmland soil in the Shandong Province, China. Using 16S rDNA gene sequencing, morphological and biological characteristics, we identified the strain BJ1 as
Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila
. The strain BJ1 uses chlorothalonil as a sole carbon source. At initial concentrations of 50, 100, 200 and 300 mg l
−1
, it degraded 91.5%, 89.4%, 86.5% and 83.5% of chlorothalonil after 96 h of inoculation under optimum conditions (30°C and pH 7.0). Two metabolites, methyl-2,5,6-trichloro-3-cyano-4-methoxy-benzoate and methyl-3-cyano-2,4,5,6-tetrachlorobenzoate, were detected and identified based on HPLC–MS analysis, which suggests that the strain BJ1 metabolized chlorothalonil through the hydroxylation of chloro-group and hydration of cyano-group. The results of this study highlight the great potential for this bacterium to be used in chlorothalonil pollution remediation.
Effects of marker type and filtering criteria onQST-FSTcomparisons
Authors: Li Zitong , Löytynoja Ari , Fraimout Antoine , Merilä Juha
Published: November 2019

Comparative studies of quantitative and neutral genetic differentiation (QST-FSTtests) provide means to detect adaptive population differentiation. However,QST-FSTtests can be overly liberal if the markers used deflateFSTbelow its expectation, or overly conservative if methodological biases lead to inflatedFSTestimates. We investigated how marker type and filtering criteria for marker selection influenceQST-FSTcomparisons through their effects onFSTusing simulations and empirical data on over 18 000in silicogenotyped microsatellites and 3.8 million single-locus polymorphism (SNP) loci from four populations of nine-spined sticklebacks (Pungitius pungitius). Empirical and simulated data revealed thatFSTdecreased with increasing marker variability, and was generally higher with SNPs than with microsatellites. The estimated baselineFSTlevels were also sensitive to filtering criteria for SNPs: both minor alleles and linkage disequilibrium (LD) pruning influencedFSTestimation, as did marker ascertainment. However, in the case of stickleback data used here whereQSTis high, the choice of marker type, their genomic location, ascertainment and filtering made little difference to outcomes ofQST-FSTtests. Nevertheless, we recommend thatQST-FSTtests using microsatellites should discard the most variable loci, and those using SNPs should pay attention to marker ascertainment and properly account for LD before filtering SNPs. This may be especially important when level of quantitative trait differentiation is low and levels of neutral differentiation high.
Great tits encode contextual information in their food and mobbing calls
Authors: Kalb Nadine , Anger Fabian , Randler Christoph
Published: November 2019

The calling behaviour of Paridae species (i.e. titmice, tits and chickadees) in a predator-related context is well-studied. Parid species are known to alter call types, note composition or call duration according to predation risk. However, how these species encode information about a non-threatening context, such as food sources, has been subject to only few studies. Studies in Carolina chickadees (
Poecile carolinensis
) have shown that this species alters the ratio of C and D notes to encode information about the presence of food and/or the flight behaviour of the signaller. This suggests that parids also use graded signals to encode information about non-predatory contexts. No study to date has directly compared the calls of a feeding context with those of a predation (i.e. mobbing) context. Hence, the aim of this study was to compare the calling behaviour of these two situations in great tits (
Parus major
). Calls uttered at a feeder were recorded, analysed and compared with calls uttered in front of taxidermy mounts of sparrowhawks (
Accipiter nisus
). In the food context, great tits reduced the number of D notes and increased the number of B, C and E notes compared with the mobbing context. Furthermore, tits produced calls with longer D notes and shorter intervals between D notes than in the mobbing context. This indicates that great tits use two mechanisms of graded signals (i.e. note type and acoustic structure of D calls) to inform conspecifics about the nature of a situation.
Direct nano-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry for the quantification and identification of metronidazole in its dosage form and human urine
Authors: Amer Sara , Zarad Walaa , El-Gendy Heba , Abdel-Salam Randa , Hadad Ghada , Masujima Tsutomu , Emara Samy
Published: November 2019

A rapid, sensitive and direct nano-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (NS-ESI-MS/MS) method, using an offline nanospray (NS) capillary, has been developed and validated for the analysis of metronidazole (MTZ). A mixture of 2 µl MTZ sample solution prepared in an ionization solvent consisting of methanol : water : formic acid in a ratio of 80 : 20 : 0.3, together with 2 µl of an internal standard (IS), 1,3,6-polytyrosine, is loaded into the back of the NS capillary. The NS capillary was fitted into the ion source at a distance of 3 mm between the NS tip and MS orifice. The sample is then analysed and acquired a sustainable signal that allowed for data compilation across various data points for MTZ identification and quantification. The quantification relied on the ratio of the [M + H]+peaks of MTZ and IS withm/zvalues of 172.0717 and 182.0812, respectively, while the identification relied on the MS/MS of the precursor ions [M + H]+of both compounds and their fragments at 128.05 for MTZ and 165.1 and 136.07 for the IS. The NS-ESI-MS/MS method was accurate and precise for the quantification of MTZ over the concentration range from 2.5 to 25 000 ng ml−1. The applicability of the method was confirmed by MTZ analysis in its pharmaceutical dosage form and detection of the analyte in clinical human urine samples without any sample treatment procedure.
Greener synthesis of chemical compounds and materials
Authors: Kharissova Oxana V. , Kharisov Boris I. , Oliva González César Máximo , Méndez Yolanda Peña , López Israel
Published: November 2019

Modern trends in the greener synthesis and fabrication of inorganic, organic and coordination compounds, materials, nanomaterials, hybrids and nanocomposites are discussed. Green chemistry deals with synthesis procedures according to its classic 12 principles, contributing to the sustainability of chemical processes, energy savings, lesser toxicity of reagents and final products, lesser damage to the environment and human health, decreasing the risk of global overheating, and more rational use of natural resources and agricultural wastes. Greener techniques have been applied to synthesize both well-known chemical compounds by more sustainable routes and completely new materials. A range of nanosized materials and composites can be produced by greener routes, including nanoparticles of metals, non-metals, their oxides and salts, aerogels or quantum dots. At the same time, such classic materials as cement, ceramics, adsorbents, polymers, bioplastics and biocomposites can be improved or obtained by cleaner processes. Several non-contaminating physical methods, such as microwave heating, ultrasound-assisted and hydrothermal processes or ball milling, frequently in combination with the use of natural precursors, are of major importance in the greener synthesis, as well as solventless and biosynthesis techniques. Non-hazardous solvents including ionic liquids, use of plant extracts, fungi, yeasts, bacteria and viruses are also discussed in relation with materials fabrication. Availability, necessity and profitability of scaling up green processes are discussed.
Identifying Acute Low Back Pain Episodes in Primary Care Practice from Clinical Notes
Authors: Miotto Riccardo , Percha Bethany L. , Glicksberg Benjamin S. , Lee Hao-Chih , Cruz Lisanne , Dudley Joel T. , Nabeel Ismail
Published: November 2019

Background

Acute and chronic low back pain (LBP) are different conditions with different treatments. However, they are coded in electronic health records with the same ICD-10 code (M54.5) and can be differentiated only by retrospective chart reviews. This prevents efficient definition of data-driven guidelines for billing and therapy recommendations, such as return-to-work options.

Objective

To solve this issue, we evaluate the feasibility of automatically distinguishing acute LBP episodes by analyzing free text clinical notes.

Methods

We used a dataset of 17,409 clinical notes from different primary care practices; of these, 891 documents were manually annotated as “acute LBP” and 2,973 were generally associated with LBP via the recorded ICD-10 code. We compared different supervised and unsupervised strategies for automated identification: keyword search; topic modeling; logistic regression with bag-of-n-grams and manual features; and deep learning (ConvNet). We trained the supervised models using either manual annotations or ICD-10 codes as positive labels.

Results

ConvNet trained using manual annotations obtained the best results with an AUC-ROC of 0.97 and F-score of 0.69. ConvNet’s results were also robust to reduction of the number of manually annotated documents. In the absence of manual annotations, topic models performed better than methods trained using ICD-10 codes, which were unsatisfactory for identifying LBP acuity.

Conclusions

This study uses clinical notes to delineate a potential path toward systematic learning of therapeutic strategies, billing guidelines, and management options for acute LBP at the point of care.
Prevalence of malnutrition and associated factors among adult patients on Antiretroviral Therapy follow up care in Jimma Medical Center, Southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Daka Dawit Wolde , Ergiba Meskerem Seboka
Published: November 2019

Background

Malnutrition especially under nutrition is the main problem that is seen over people living with HIV/AIDS and can occur at any age. Multiple factors contributed to malnutrition of HIV/AIDS patients and it need immediate identification and prompt action. The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status of patients and identify factors associated with malnutrition among HIV/AIDS patients on follow-up care in Jimma medical center, Southwest Ethiopia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study design was conducted from March-April, 2016. Data was collected retrospectively from clinical records of HIV/AIDS patients enrolled for follow up care in ART clinic from June 2010 to January 2016. Binary and multiple variable logistic regression was done to identify independent predictor of malnutrition.

Results

Data of 971 patients were included in the study. The prevalence of under nutrition (BMI<18.5) was (36.8%) (95% CI: 33.8%-39.8%) and out of which severe malnutrition accounts 9.7%. Overweight and obese was 8.6%. Malnutrition was more likely among widowed patients (AOR=1.7, 95% CI, 1.034-2.798), patients in the WHO clinical AIDS staging of three (AOR=2.3, 95% CI, 1.392-3.693) and four (AOR=3.2, 95% CI, 1.667-5.943), patients with CD4 cell count of <200 cells/mm3(AOR=2.0, 95% CI, 1.463-2.837) and patients with a functional status of bedridden (AOR=4.677, 95% CI, 1.761-12.419) and ambulatory (AOR=2.763, 95% CI, 1.833-4.165).

Conclusion

Both under nutrition and overweight are prevalent among HIV/AIDS patients in Jimma Medical Center, Ethiopia. Malnutrition was significantly associated with clinical outcome of patients. Hence, nutritional assessment, care and support should be strengthened. Critical identification of malnourished patients and prompt interventions should be undertaken.
Impact of left ventricular assist devices and heart transplant on acute myocardial infarction and heart failure mortality and readmission measures
Authors: Brandt Eric J , Ross Joseph S. , Grady Jacqueline N. , Ahmad Tariq , Pawar Sumeet , Bernheim Susannah M. , Desai Nihar R
Published: November 2019

Background

Concern has been raised about consequences of including patients with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or heart transplantation (HT) in readmission and mortality measures.

Methods

We calculated unadjusted and hospital-specific 30-day risk-standardized mortality (RSMR) and readmission (RSRR) rates for all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with a primary diagnosis of AMI or HF discharged between July 2010 and June 2013. Hospitals were compared before and after excluding LVAD and HT patients. LVAD indication was measured.

Results

For the AMI and HF cohorts, ≤0.2% of patients received an LVAD and ≤0.1% received HT in either cohort. Less than 2% of hospitals had either ≥6 patients who received an LVAD or, independently, had ≥1 HT. The AMI mortality and readmission cohorts used 1.8% and 2.8% of LVADs for semi-permanent/permanent indications, versus 73.8% and 78.0% for HF patients, respectively. The rest were for temporary/external indications.

In the AMI cohort, RSMR for hospitals without LVAD patients versus hospitals with ≥6 LVADs was 14.8% and 14.3%, and RSRR was 17.8% and 18.3%, respectively; the HF cohort RSMR was 11.9% and 9.7% and RSRR was 22.6% and 23.4%, respectively. In the AMI cohort, RSMR for hospitals without versus with HT patients was 14.7% and 13.9% and RSRR was 17.8% and 17.7%, respectively; in the HF cohort, RSMR was 11.9% and 11.0%, and RSRR was 22.6% and 22.6%, respectively. Estimations changed ≤0.1% after excluding LVAD or HT patients.

Conclusion

Hospitals caring for ≥6 patients with LVAD or ≥1 HT had lower RSMRs but higher RSRRs on average. Rates were insignificantly changed when these patients were excluded. LVADs were primarily for acute-care in the AMI cohort and chronic support in the HF cohort. LVAD and HT patients are a distinct group with differential care requirements and outcomes, thus should be considered separately from the rest of the HF cohort.
Influence of Chinese eye exercises on myopia control in an East Asian population: a meta-analysis
Authors: Sangvatanakul Paradi , Tangthianchaichana Jakkree , Tasanarong Adis , Pabalan Noel , Tharabenjasin Phuntila
Published: November 2019

Objective

The rates of myopia (−0.50 diopter), and high myopia (≥ −6.0 diopter) have been increasing in East Asian populations; the reasons for which may include the combinations of genetic, environment and behavioural factors. The most affected demography point to the young elite population of intellectuals produced from universities. Of the several recommendations to address the myopia epidemic, the influence of Chinese eye exercises (CEE) have been examined. However, reports have been inconsistent, prompting a meta-analysis to obtain more precise estimates.

Methods

Eight articles were included in the meta-analysis where we operated on the hypothesis that CEE either increased or reduced myopia control. We compared the subjects that performed CEE against those that did not. We used and estimated odds ratios [ORs] and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using the generic inverse variance method. Subgroup analysis involved quality (high/serious and low/non-serious) and frequency (> 5 times/week) of performing CEE comprised. Heterogeneity was subjected to outlier treatment which split the findings into pre- (PRO) and post- (PSO) outlier. The strength of evidence in our findings were based on high significance (Pa < 10−5), surviving the Bonferroni correction and homogeneity (I2 = 0%). Outcomes with these features comprised our core findings.

Results

Our core findings were found in the PSO overall indicating elevated myopia control (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.61-0.86, Pa = 0.0002) and CEE subgroups (Serious: OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.68-0.84, Pa < 10−5; Frequent: OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.45-0.68, Pa < 10−5). The low quality subgroup outcome was null in PRO (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.50-1.86, Pa = 0.92) but conveyed significantly less myopia control in PSO (OR1.57, 95% CI 1.24-2.01, Pa = 0.0002).

Conclusions

This meta-analysis found that CEE afforded 28% greater control of myopia. Enabled by outlier treatment, this finding was homogeneous and consistent. Subgroup effects elevated myopia control to 62% when CEE was done up to 5 times a week. Improper CEE performance implied reduced myopia control of up to 57%.
Long-Term Effects of Chronic Hemiparetic Stroke and Botulinum Neurotoxin on Wrist and Finger Passive Mechanical Properties
Authors: Binder-Markey Benjamin I , Murray Wendy M , Dewald Julius P.A.
Published: November 2019

Background

Neural impairments that follow hemiparetic stroke may negatively affect passive muscle properties, further limiting recovery. However, factors such as hypertonia, spasticity, and botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), a common clinical intervention, confound our understanding of muscle properties in chronic stroke.

Objective

To determine if muscle passive biomechanical properties are different following prolonged, stroke-induced, altered muscle activation and disuse.

Methods

Torques about the metacarpophalangeal and wrist joints were measured in different joint postures in both limbs of participants with hemiparetic stroke. First, we evaluated 27 participants with no history of BoNT; hand impairments ranged from mild to severe.

Subsequently, seven participants with a history of BoNT injections were evaluated. To mitigate muscle hypertonia, torques were quantified after an extensive stretching protocol and under conditions that encouraged participants to sleep. EMGs were monitored throughout data collection.

Results

Among participants who never received BoNT, no significant differences in passive torques between limbs were observed. Among participants who previously received BoNT injections, passive flexion torques about their paretic wrist and finger joints were larger than their nonparetic limb (average interlimb differences = +42.0±7.6SEM Ncm, +26.9±3.9SEM Ncm, respectively), and the range of motion for passive finger extension was significantly smaller (average interlimb difference = -36.3°±4.5°SEM; degrees).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that neural impairments that follow chronic, hemiparetic stroke do not lead to passive mechanical changes within the wrist and finger muscles. Rather, consistent with animal studies, the data points to potential adverse effects of BoNT on passive muscle properties post-stroke, which warrant further consideration.
Long term development of a realistic and integrated socio-ecological system
Authors: Gaucherel C. , Carpentier C. , Geijzendorffer I.R. , Pommereau F.
Published: November 2019

We developed a discrete and qualitative model of integrated socio-ecosystems, with the help of formal Petri nets. We illustrated such Petri nets in the case study of temporary marshes in the Mediterranean part of France, the Camargue delta, by integrating biotic, abiotic and human-related components along with their processes into the same interaction network. The model demonstrated that when marshes are exposed to extensive grazing the presence of marsh heritage species is facilitated by opening up the vegetation through various trajectories. This supports the commonly used management practice of extensive grazing to conserve certain protected habitats. With this Possibilistic approach, we identified all potential ecosystem trajectories and provided their differential (non-systematic) impacts on heritage species richness (number). Hence, we rigorously demonstrate with this new type of model that grazing benefits marsh species which are faced with competition from common grassland species. The detailed analysis of the explicit state space and trajectories allows exploring simultaneously the identification of a range of recommendations for management strategies.
Attenuated directed exploration during reinforcement learning in gambling disorder
Authors: Wiehler A. , Chakroun K. , Peters J.
Published: November 2019

Gambling disorder is a behavioral addiction associated with impairments in value-based decision-making and behavioral flexibility and might be linked to changes in the dopamine system. Maximizing long-term rewards requires a flexible trade-off between the exploitation of known options and the exploration of novel options for information gain. This exploration-exploitation trade-off is thought to depend on dopamine neurotransmission. We hypothesized that human gamblers would show a reduction in directed (uncertainty-based) exploration, accompanied by changes in brain activity in a fronto-parietal exploration-related network.

Twenty-three frequent, non-treatment seeking gamblers and twenty-three healthy matched controls (all male) performed a four-armed bandit task during functional magnetic resonance-imaging. Computational modeling using hierarchical Bayesian parameter estimation revealed signatures of directed exploration, random exploration, and perseveration in both groups. Gamblers showed a reduction in directed exploration, whereas random exploration and perseveration were similar between groups.

Neuroimaging revealed no evidence for group differences in neural representations of basic task variables (expected value, prediction errors). Our hypothesis of reduced frontal pole recruitment in gamblers was not supported. Exploratory analyses revealed that during directed exploration, gamblers showed reduced parietal cortex and substantia-nigra / ventral-tegmental-area activity. Cross-validated classification analyses revealed that connectivity in an exploration-related network was predictive of group status, suggesting that connectivity patterns might be more predictive of problem gambling than univariate effects.

Findings reveal specific reductions in strategic exploration gamblers that might be linked to altered processing in a fronto-parietal network and/or changes in dopamine neurotransmission implicated in gambling disorder.

Significance statement

Wiehler et al. report that gamblers rely less on the strategic exploration of unknown, but potentially better rewards during reward learning. This is reflected in a related network of brain activity. Parameters of this network can be used to predict the presence of problem gambling behavior in participants.
Representations of the amacrine cell population underlying retinal motion anticipation
Authors: Menz Michael D. , Lee Dongsoo , Baccus Stephen A.
Published: November 2019

Retinal amacrine cells are a diverse population of inhibitory interneurons, posing a challenge to understand the specific roles of those interneurons in computations of the similarly diverse ganglion cell population. Here we study the predictive computation of motion anticipation, which is thought to compensate for processing delays when encoding moving objects. We recorded the membrane potential of the salamander amacrine cell population optically while recording electrically from ganglion cells with a multielectrode array. We find unexpectedly that ganglion cells with the greatest anticipation for moving stimuli exhibit a new type of predictive motion anticipation that is inconsistent with prior models of delayed inhibition. Based on the spatiotemporal correlations between thousands of amacrine and ganglion cell pairs, we modeled the contribution of the traveling wave of activity for different amacrine cell populations to the encoding of a moving bar. These models indicate that the population responses of slow biphasic amacrine cells create the greatest contribution to both types of ganglion cell motion anticipation, supporting a role for this specific amacrine cell class in the predictive encoding of moving stimuli.

Significance Statement

The prediction of moving stimuli is a widespread function occurring in both visual and auditory systems. The diversity of interneuron populations makes it a challenge to understand the mechanisms of these computations. To analyze how the retina anticipates motion, we optically measured inhibitory amacrine cell population activity simultaneously with electrical recording from ganglion cell populations. We then used computational modelling to assess which amacrine cell types have the right spatiotemporal responses to generate motion anticipation. In contrast to previous suggestions of a general role for inhibition, we find that slow biphasic amacrine cells specifically have the greatest contribution to motion anticipation, thus highlighting the need to directly measure and model the effects of interneuron populations in complex sensory computations.
Proma Plasmids are Instrumental in the Dissemination of Linuron Catabolic Genes between Different Genera
Authors: Werner Johannes , Nour Eman , Bunk Boyke , Spröer Cathrin , Smalla Kornelia , Springael Dirk , Öztürk Başak
Published: November 2019

PromA plasmids are broad host range plasmids, which are often cryptic and hence have an uncertain ecological role. We present three novel PromA γ plasmids which carry genes associated with degradation of the phenylurea herbicide linuron, two (pPBL-H3-2 and pBPS33-2) of which originate from unrelatedHydrogenophagahosts isolated from different environments, and one (pEN1) which was exogenously captured from an on-farm biopurification system. BothHydrogenophagaplasmids carry all three necessary gene clusters determining the three main steps for conversion of linuron to Krebs cycle intermediates, while pEN1 only determines the initial linuron hydrolysis step. Linuron catabolic gene clusters that determine the same step were identical on all plasmids, encompassed in differently arranged constellations and characterized by the presence of multiple IS1071elements. In all plasmids except pEN1, the insertion spot of the catabolic genes in the PromA γ plasmids was the same. Highly similar PromA plasmids carrying the linuron degrading gene cargo at the same insertion spot were were previously identified in linuron degradingVariovoraxsp. Interestingly, in bothHydrogenophagapopulations not every PromA plasmid copy carries catabolic genes. The results indicate that PromA plasmids are important vehicles of linuron catabolic gene dissemination, rather than being cryptic and only important for the mobilization of other plasmids.
Activity/rest rhythms of Drosophila populations selected for divergent eclosion timing under temperature cues
Authors: Abhilash Lakshman , Arshad Kalliyil , Sheeba Vasu
Published: November 2019

Despite the fact that the rhythm in adult emergence and rhythm in locomotor activity are two different rhythmic phenomena that occur at distinct life-stages of the fly life cycle, previous studies have hinted at similarities in certain aspects of the organisation of the circadian clock driving these two rhythms. In an earlier study, we have shown that selection on timing of adult emergence behaviour in populations of Drosophila melanogaster leads to the co-evolution of temperature sensitivity of circadian clocks driving eclosion. In this study, we were interested in asking if temperature sensitivity of the locomotor activity rhythm has evolved in our populations with divergent timing of adult emergence rhythm, with the goal of understanding the extent of similarity (or lack of it) in circadian organisation between the two rhythms. We found that in response to simulated jetlag with temperature cycles, late chronotypes (populations selected for predominant emergence during dusk) indeed re-entrain faster than early chronotypes (populations selected for predominant emergence during dawn), thereby indicating enhanced sensitivity of the activity/rest clock to temperature cues in these stocks (entrainment is the synchronisation of internal rhythms to cyclic environmental time-cues). Additionally, we found that late chronotypes show higher plasticity of phases across regimes, day-to-day stability in phases and amplitude of entrainment, all indicative of enhanced temperature sensitive activity/rest rhythms. Our results highlight remarkably similar organisation principles between emergence and activity/rest rhythms.
A yeast FRET biosensor enlightens cAMP signalling
Authors: Botman Dennis , O’Toole Tom G. , Goedhart Joachim , Bruggeman Frank J. , van Heerden Johan H. , Teusink Bas
Published: November 2019

The cAMP-PKA signalling cascade in budding yeast regulates adaptation to changing environments. We developed yEPAC, a FRET-based biosensor for cAMP measurements in yeast. We used this sensor with flow cytometry for high-throughput single cell-level quantification during dynamic changes in response to sudden nutrient transitions. We found that the characteristic cAMP peak differentiates between different carbon source transitions, and is rather homogenous among single-cells, especially for transitions to glucose. The peaks are mediated by a combination of extracellular sensing and intracellular metabolism. Moreover, the cAMP peak follows Weber’s law; its height scales with the relative, and not the absolute, change in glucose. Lastly, our results suggest that the cAMP peak height conveys information about prospective growth rates. In conclusion, our yEPAC-sensor makes possible new avenues for understanding yeast physiology, signalling and metabolic adaptation.
Antagonistic center-surround mechanisms for direction selectivity in the retina
Authors: Ankri Lea , Ezra-Tsur Elishai , Maimon Shir R. , Kaushansky Nathali , Rivlin-Etzion Michal
Published: November 2019

A key feature in sensory processing is center-surround receptive field antagonism. Retinal direction-selectivity (DS) relies on asymmetric inhibition from starburst amacrine cells (SAC) to direction selective ganglion cells (DSGC). SAC exhibit antagonistic center-surround, depolarizing to light increments and decrements in their center and surround, respectively, but the role of this property in DS remains elusive. We found that a repetitive stimulation exhausts SAC center and enhances its surround and used it to distinguish center-from surround-mediated responses. Center, but not surround stimulation, induced direction-selective responses in SAC, as predicted by an elementary spatiotemporal model. Nevertheless, both SAC center and surround elicited direction-selective responses in DSGCs, but to opposite directions. Physiological and morphology-based modeling data show that the opposed responses resulted from inverted DSGC’s excitatory-inhibitory temporal balance, indicating that SAC response time rules DS. Our findings reveal antagonistic center-surround mechanisms for DS, and demonstrate how context-dependent center-surround reorganization enables flexible computations.
Sfrp1 deficiency makes retinal photoreceptors prone to degeneration
Authors: Cisneros Elsa , di Marco Fabiana , Rueda-Carrasco Javier , Lillo Concepción , Pereyra Guadalupe , Martín-Bermejo María Jesús , Vargas Alba , Sanchez Rocío , Sandonís África , Esteve Pilar , Bovolenta Paola
Published: November 2019

Millions of individuals worldwide suffer from impaired vision, a condition with multiple origins that often impinge upon the light sensing cells of the retina, the photoreceptors, affecting their integrity. The molecular components contributing to this integrity are however not yet fully understood. Here we have asked whether Secreted Frizzled Related Protein 1 (SFRP1) may be one of such factors. SFRP1 has a context-dependent function as modulator of Wnt signalling or of the proteolytic activity of A Disintegrin And Metalloproteases (ADAM) 10, a main regulator of neural cell-cell communication. We report that in Sfrp1-/- mice, the outer limiting membrane (OLM) is discontinuous and the photoreceptors disorganized and more prone to light-induced damage. Sfrp1 loss significantly enhances the effect of the Rpe65Leu450Leu genetic variant -present in the mouse genetic background- which confers sensitivity to light-induced stress. These alterations worsen with age, affect visual function and are associated to an increased proteolysis of Protocadherin 21 (PCDH21), localized at the photoreceptor outer segment, and N-cadherin, an OLM component. We thus propose that SFRP1 contributes to photoreceptor fitness with a mechanism that involves the maintenance of OLM integrity. These conclusions are discussed in view of the broader implication of SFRP1 in neurodegeneration and aging.