bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emergence of ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains harbouring a novel mosaic penA gene in China
Authors: Xiu Leshan , Yuan Qianqin , Li Yamei , Zhang Chi , Tang Lingli , Peng Junping
Published: December 2019

Objectives

The continuous emergence of ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains threatens the effectiveness of current treatment regimens for gonorrhoea. The objective of the present study was to characterize three ceftriaxone-resistant N. gonorrhoeae strains with a novel mosaic penA allele isolated in China.

Methods

Three ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains (GC150, GC161 and GC208) isolated in 2017 were characterized by N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST), MLST and N. gonorrhoeae sequence typing for antimicrobial resistance (NG-STAR). Recombination analyses were performed using the SimPlot software.

Results

Three strains had the same antibiotic resistance profiles, with resistance to ceftriaxone (MIC 0.5 mg/L), ciprofloxacin (MIC 8.0 mg/L), penicillin (MIC 2.0 mg/L) and tetracycline (MIC 2.0–8.0 mg/L). STs were assigned as MLST7360, NG-MAST14292 and NG-STAR1611/NG-STAR1612. The penA gene of these three strains differed from previous ceftriaxone-resistant gonococcal strains and harboured a novel mosaic allele (penA-121.001). Like N. gonorrhoeae FC428, a widely disseminated ceftriaxone-resistant strain that was initially described in Japan in 2015, all strains also possessed substitutions A311V and T483S in PBP2, which are associated with resistance to ceftriaxone. Potential recombination events were detected in penA between N. gonorrhoeae strain FC428 and commensal Neisseria species. Our results provide further evidence that the commensal Neisseria species (Neisseria cinerea and Neisseria perflava) can serve as a reservoir of ceftriaxone resistance-mediating penA sequences in clinical gonococcal strains.

Conclusions

The emergence of such strains may be the result of the interspecies recombination of penA genes between N. gonorrhoeae strain FC428 and commensal Neisseria species.
Japanese structure survey of radiation oncology in 2012
Authors: Numasaki Hodaka , Teshima Teruki , Ando Yutaka , Akuta Keizo , Ikeda Hiroshi , Okajima Kaoru , Kumano Tomoyasu , Sasaki Tomonari , Sekiguchi Kenji , Tago Masao , Terahara Atsuro , Nakamura Katsumasa , Nishimura Tetsuo , Ogawa Kazuhiko ,   for Society Japanese Radiation Oncology Database Committee
Published: December 2019

This paper describes the ongoing structure of radiation oncology in Japan in terms of equipment, personnel, patient load and geographic distribution to identify and overcome any existing limitations. From March 2013 to August 2016, the Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology conducted a questionnaire based on the Japanese national structure survey of radiation oncology in 2012. Data were analyzed based on the institutional stratification by the annual number of new patients treated with radiotherapy per institution. The estimated annual numbers of new and total (new plus repeat) patients treated with radiation were 213 000 and 251 000, respectively. Additionally, the estimated cancer incidence was 865 238 cases with ~24.6% of all newly diagnosed patients being treated with radiation. The types and numbers of treatment devices actually used included linear accelerator (LINAC; n = 864), telecobalt (n = 0), Gamma Knife (n = 44), 60Co remote afterloading system (RALS; n = 23) and 192Ir RALS (n = 130). The LINAC system used dual-energy functions in 651 units, 3D conformal radiotherapy functions in 759 and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) functions in 466. There were 792 Japan Radiological Society/Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology-certified radiation oncologists, 1061.6 full-time equivalent (FTE) radiation oncologists, 2124.2 FTE radiotherapy technologists, 181.3 FTE medical physicists, 170.9 FTE radiotherapy quality managers and 841.5 FTE nurses. The frequency of IMRT use significantly increased during this time. In conclusion, the Japanese structure of radiation oncology has clearly improved in terms of equipment and utility although there was a shortage of personnel in 2012.
Role of chromatin modification and remodeling in stem cell regulation and meristem maintenance in Arabidopsis
Authors: Singh Sharmila , Singh Alka , Singh Archita , Mahima  , Yadav Sandeep , Bajaj Ishita , Kumar Shailendra , Jain Ajay , Sarkar Ananda K
Published: December 2019

In higher plants, pluripotent stem cells reside in the specialized microenvironment called stem cell niches (SCNs) harbored at the shoot apical meristem (SAM) and root apical meristem (RAM), which give rise to the aerial and underground parts of a plant, respectively. The model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) has been extensively studied to decipher the intricate regulatory mechanisms involving some key transcriptions factors and phytohormones that play pivotal roles in stem cell homeostasis, meristem maintenance, and organ formation. However, there is increasing evidence to show the epigenetic regulation of the chromatin architecture, gene expression exerting an influence on an innate balance between the self-renewal of stem cells, and differentiation of the progeny cells to a specific tissue type or organ. Post-translational histone modifications, ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling, and chromatin assembly/disassembly are some of the key features involved in the modulation of chromatin architecture. Here, we discuss the major epigenetic regulators and illustrate their roles in the regulation of stem cell activity, meristem maintenance, and related organ patterning in Arabidopsis.
The isothermal evolution of a shock-filament interaction
Authors: Goldsmith K J A , Pittard J M
Published: December 2019

Studies of filamentary structures that are prevalent throughout the interstellar medium are of great significance to a number of astrophysical fields. Here, we present 3D hydrodynamic simulations of shock-filament interactions where the equation of state has been softened to become almost isothermal. We investigate the effect of such an isothermal regime on the interaction (where both the shock and filament are isothermal), and we examine how the nature of the interaction changes when the orientation of the filament, the shock Mach number, and the filament density contrast are varied. We find that only sideways-oriented filaments with a density contrast of 102 form a three-rolled structure, dissimilar to the results of a previous study. Moreover, the angle of orientation of the filament plays a large role in the evolution of the filament morphology: the greater the angle of orientation, the longer and less turbulent the wake. Turbulent stripping of filament material leading to fragmentation of the core occurs in most filaments; however, filaments orientated at an angle of 85° to the shock front do not fragment and are longer lived. In addition, values of the drag time are influenced by the filament length, with longer filaments being accelerated faster than shorter ones. Furthermore, filaments in an isothermal regime exhibit faster acceleration than those struck by an adiabatic shock. Finally, we find that the drag and mixing times of the filament increase as the angle of orientation of the filament is increased.
Can tides disrupt cold dark matter subhaloes?
Authors: Errani Raphaël , Peñarrubia Jorge
Published: December 2019

The clumpiness of dark matter on sub-kpc scales is highly sensitive to the tidal evolution and survival of subhaloes. In agreement with previous studies, we show that N-body realisations of cold dark matter subhaloes with centrally-divergent density cusps form artificial constant-density cores on the scale of the resolution limit of the simulation. These density cores drive the artificial tidal disruption of subhaloes. We run controlled simulations of the tidal evolution of a single subhalo where we repeatedly reconstruct the density cusp, preventing artificial disruption. This allows us to follow the evolution of the subhalo for arbitrarily large fractions of tidally stripped mass. Based on this numerical evidence in combination with simple dynamical arguments, we argue that cuspy dark matter subhaloes cannot be completely disrupted by smooth tidal fields. Modelling stars as collisionless tracers of the underlying potential, we furthermore study the tidal evolution of Milky Way dwarf spheroidal galaxies. Using a model of the Tucana III dwarf as an example, we show that tides can strip dwarf galaxies down to sub-solar luminosities. The remnant micro-galaxies would appear as co-moving groups of metal-poor, low-mass stars of similar age, embedded in sub-kpc dark matter subhaloes.
The KLEVER Survey: spatially resolved metallicity maps and gradients in a sample of 1.2 < z < 2.5 lensed galaxies
Authors: Curti Mirko , Maiolino Roberto , Cirasuolo Michele , Mannucci Filippo , Williams Rebecca J , Auger Matt , Mercurio Amata , Hayden-Pawson Connor , Cresci Giovanni , Marconi Alessandro , Belfiore Francesco , Cappellari Michele , Cicone Claudia , Cullen Fergus , Meneghetti Massimo , Ota Kazuaki , Peng Yingjie , Pettini Max , Swinbank Mark , Troncoso Paulina
Published: December 2019

We present near-infrared observations of 42 gravitationally lensed galaxies obtained in the framework of the KMOS Lensed Emission Lines and VElocity Review (KLEVER) Survey, a programme aimed at investigating the spatially resolved properties of the ionized gas in 1.2 < z < 2.5 galaxies by means of a full coverage of the YJ, H, and K near-infrared bands. Detailed metallicity maps and gradients are derived for a subsample of 28 galaxies from reconstructed source-plane emission-line maps, exploiting the variety of different emission-line diagnostics provided by the broad wavelength coverage of the survey. About $85 {{\, per\ cent}}$ of these galaxies are characterized by metallicity gradients shallower than $0.05\ \rm dex\, kpc^{-1}$ and $89{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ are consistent with a flat slope within 3σ ($67{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ within 1σ), suggesting a mild evolution with cosmic time. In the context of cosmological simulations and chemical evolution models, the presence of efficient feedback mechanisms and/or extended star formation profiles on top of the classical ‘inside-out’ scenario of mass assembly is generally required to reproduce the observed flatness of the metallicity gradients beyond z ∼ 1. Three galaxies with significantly (>3σ) ‘inverted’ gradients are also found, showing an anticorrelation between metallicity and star formation rate density on local scales, possibly suggesting recent episodes of pristine gas accretion or strong radial flows in place. Nevertheless, the individual metallicity maps are characterized by a variety of different morphologies, with flat radial gradients sometimes hiding non-axisymmetric variations on kpc scales, which are washed out by azimuthal averages, especially in interacting systems or in those undergoing local episodes of recent star formation.
Probing the extragalactic fast transient sky at minute time-scales with DECam
Authors: Andreoni I , Cooke J , Webb S , Rest A , Pritchard T , Caleb M , Chang S-W , Farah W , Lien A , Möller A , Ravasio M E , Abbott T M C , Bhandari S , Cucchiara A , Flynn C , Jankowski F , Keane E F , Moriya T J , Onken C A , Parthasarathy A , Price D C , Petroff E , Ryder S , Vohl D , Wolf C
Published: December 2019

Searches for optical transients are usually performed with a cadence of days to weeks, optimized for supernova discovery. The optical fast transient sky is still largely unexplored, with only a few surveys to date having placed meaningful constraints on the detection of extragalactic transients evolving at sub-hour time-scales. Here, we present the results of deep searches for dim, minute-time-scale extragalactic fast transients using the Dark Energy Camera, a core facility of our all-wavelength and all-messenger Deeper, Wider, Faster programme. We used continuous 20 s exposures to systematically probe time-scales down to 1.17 min at magnitude limits g > 23 (AB), detecting hundreds of transient and variable sources. Nine candidates passed our strict criteria on duration and non-stellarity, all of which could be classified as flare stars based on deep multiband imaging. Searches for fast radio burst and gamma-ray counterparts during simultaneous multifacility observations yielded no counterparts to the optical transients. Also, no long-term variability was detected with pre-imaging and follow-up observations using the SkyMapper optical telescope. We place upper limits for minute-time-scale fast optical transient rates for a range of depths and time-scales. Finally, we demonstrate that optical g-band light-curve behaviour alone cannot discriminate between confirmed extragalactic fast transients such as prompt GRB flashes and Galactic stellar flares.
Comparison of SEDs of very massive radio-loud and radio-quiet AGN
Authors: Gupta Maitrayee , Sikora Marek , Rusinek Katarzyna
Published: December 2019

The main objective of this work is to establish and interpret the dominant spectral components and their differences in radio-loud (RL) and radio-quiet (RQ) AGN with very massive black holes, and accreting at moderate rates. Such a sample is selected from the Swift/BAT catalogue of AGN having determined optical spectra types and hosting black holes with masses $\rm \gt 10^{8.5}\, M_{\odot }$. We confirm our previous results, that radio loudness distribution of Swift/BAT AGN is bimodal and that radio galaxies are about two times X-ray louder than their RQ counterparts. We show that the average X-ray loudness (defined as a ratio of luminosity in the 14–195 keV band to that at 12 μm) of Type 1 and Type 2 AGN is very similar. This similarity holds for both RL and RQ subsamples and indicates negligible dependence of the observed X-ray luminosities on the inclination angle in both populations. In both the radiative output is dominated by mid-IR and hard X-ray components, and relatively weak UV luminosities indicate large amounts of dust in polar regions.
Nebular spectra of 111 Type Ia supernovae disfavour single-degenerate progenitors
Authors: Tucker M A , Shappee B J , Vallely P J , Stanek K Z , Prieto J L , Botyanszki J , Kochanek C S , Anderson J P , Brown J , Galbany L , Holoien T W-S , Hsiao E Y , Kumar S , Kuncarayakti H , Morrell N , Phillips M M , Stritzinger M D , Thompson Todd A
Published: December 2019

We place statistical constraints on Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) progenitors using 227 nebular-phase spectra of 111 SNe Ia. We find no evidence of stripped companion emission in any of the nebular-phase spectra. Upper limits are placed on the amount of mass that could go undetected in each spectrum using recent hydrodynamic simulations. With these null detections, we place an observational 3σ upper limit on the fraction of SNe Ia that are produced through the classical H-rich non-degenerate companion scenario of $\lt 5.5 {{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. Additionally, we set a tentative 3σ upper limit otan He star progenitor scenarios of $\lt 6.4 {{\ \rm per\ cent}}$, although further theoretical modelling is required. These limits refer to our most representative sample including normal, 91bg-like, 91T-like, and ‘super-Chandrasekhar’ SNe Ia but excluding SNe Iax and SNe Ia-CSM. As part of our analysis, we also derive a Nebular Phase Phillips Relation, which approximates the brightness of an SN Ia from 150 to 500 d after maximum using the peak magnitude and decline rate parameter Δm15(B).
A DECam view of the diffuse dwarf galaxy Crater II – Variable stars
Authors: Vivas A Katherina , Walker Alistair R , Martínez-Vázquez Clara E , Monelli Matteo , Bono Giuseppe , Dorta Antonio , Nidever David L , Fiorentino Giuliana , Gallart Carme , Andreuzzi Gloria , Braga Vittorio F , Dall’Ora Massimo , Olsen Knut , Stetson Peter B
Published: December 2019

Time series observations of a single dithered field centred on the diffuse dwarf satellite galaxy Crater II were obtained with the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) at the 4m Blanco Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Chile, uniformly covering up to two half-light radii. Analysis of the g and i time series results in the identification and characterization of 130 periodic variable stars, including 98 RR Lyrae stars, 7 anomalous Cepheids, and 1 SX Phoenicis star belonging to the Crater II population, and 24 foreground variables of different types. Using the large number of ab-type RR Lyrae stars present in the galaxy, we obtained a distance modulus to Crater II of (m − M)0 = 20.333 ± 0.004 (stat) ±0.07 (sys). The distribution of the RR Lyrae stars suggests an elliptical shape for Crater II, with an ellipticity of 0.24 and a position angle of 153°. From the RR Lyrae stars, we infer a small metallicity dispersion for the old population of Crater II of only 0.17 dex. There are hints that the most metal-poor stars in that narrow distribution have a wider distribution across the galaxy, while the slightly more metal-rich part of the population is more centrally concentrated. Given the features in the colour–magnitude diagram of Crater II, the anomalous Cepheids in this galaxy must have formed through a binary evolution channel of an old population.
Characterizing the i-band variability of YSOs over six orders of magnitude in time-scale
Authors: Sergison Darryl J , Naylor Tim , Littlefair S P , Bell Cameron P M , Williams C D H
Published: December 2019

We present an i-band photometric study of over 800 young stellar objects in the OB association Cep OB3b, which samples time-scales from one minute to 10 yr. Using structure functions we show that on all time-scales (τ) there is a monotonic decrease in variability from Class I to Class II through the transition disc (TD) systems to Class III, i.e. the more evolved systems are less variable. The Class Is show an approximately power-law increase (τ0.8) in variability from time-scales of a few minutes to 10 yr. The Class II, TDs, and Class III systems show a qualitatively different behaviour with most showing a power-law increase in variability up to a time-scale corresponding to the rotational period of the star, with little additional variability beyond that time-scale. However, about a third of the Class IIs shows lower overall variability, but their variability is still increasing at 10 yr. This behaviour can be explained if all Class IIs have two primary components to their variability. The first is an underlying roughly power-law variability spectrum, which evidence from the infrared suggests is driven by accretion rate changes. The second component is approximately sinusoidal and results from the rotation of the star. We suggest that the systems with dominant longer time-scale variability have a smaller rotational modulation either because they are seen at low inclinations or have more complex magnetic field geometries. We derive a new way of calculating structure functions for large simulated data sets (the ‘fast structure function’), based on fast Fourier transforms.
FLASH: ultra-fast protocol to identify RNA–protein interactions in cells
Authors: Ilik Ibrahim Avsar , Aktas Tugce , Maticzka Daniel , Backofen Rolf , Akhtar Asifa
Published: December 2019

Determination of the in vivo binding sites of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) is paramount to understanding their function and how they affect different aspects of gene regulation. With hundreds of RNA-binding proteins identified in human cells, a flexible, high-resolution, high-throughput, highly multiplexible and radioactivity-free method to determine their binding sites has not been described to date. Here we report FLASH (Fast Ligation of RNA after some sort of Affinity Purification for High-throughput Sequencing), which uses a special adapter design and an optimized protocol to determine protein–RNA interactions in living cells. The entire FLASH protocol, starting from cells on plates to a sequencing library, takes 1.5 days. We demonstrate the flexibility, speed and versatility of FLASH by using it to determine RNA targets of both tagged and endogenously expressed proteins under diverse conditions in vivo.
Clinical characteristics and comorbidities in adult-onset Still’s disease using a large US administrative claims database
Authors: Lenert Aleksander , Oh GYeon , Ombrello Michael J , Kim Sujin
Published: December 2019

Objectives

We aimed to describe clinical characteristics, treatment patterns and major comorbidities of a US-based adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) cohort.

Methods

Administrative claims data from Truven MarketScan were collected from 2009 to 2015. An AOSD case was defined as ≥1 M06.1 International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD-10) medical claim code. We extracted data for the AOSD cohort (n = 106) and 1:5 matched controls (n = 530) without AOSD. Outcomes of interest and a novel claims-based set of Yamaguchi criteria were identified by relevant ICD 9th revision (ICD-9) and ICD-10 codes. Bivariate descriptive analyses were conducted on all variables. Comorbidity rates and rate ratios were calculated in AOSD cases and matched controls. Statistical significance of cohort differences was determined to compare AOSD cases and matched controls.

Results

The AOSD cohort, with a mean age of 43.08 (standard deviation, s.d. 13.9) years and with female predominance (68.9%) was observed over a mean of 750.12 (637.6) days. A total of 35.9% of AOSD patients fulfilled claims-based Yamaguchi criteria compared with 0.4% matched controls (P< 0.05). We identified severe AOSD-related complications, including macrophage activation syndrome (4.7%) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (12.3%). Treatment commonly involved systemic glucocorticoids (62.2%), MTX (51%) and anakinra (24.5%). Compared with matched controls, serious infections were significantly increased (rate ratio 2.58, 95% CI: 1.53, 4.37, P = 0.0004), while hyperlipidaemia (0.54, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.85; P = 0.008) and obesity (0.30, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.62; P = 0.001) were significantly decreased in AOSD patients.

Conclusion

We characterized a first US-based AOSD cohort using a large national administrative claims database, and identified key complications, treatments and comorbidities.
Long-term efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in refractory Takayasu arteritis: final results of the randomized controlled phase 3 TAKT study
Authors: Nakaoka Yoshikazu , Isobe Mitsuaki , Tanaka Yoshiya , Ishii Tomonori , Ooka Seido , Niiro Hiroaki , Tamura Naoto , Banno Shogo , Yoshifuji Hajime , Sakata Yasushi , Kawakami Atsushi , Atsumi Tatsuya , Furuta Shunsuke , Kohsaka Hitoshi , Suzuki Katsuya , Hara Ryoki , Maejima Yasuhiro , Tsukamoto Hiroshi , Takasaki Yoshinari , Yamashita Katsuhisa , Okada Norihiro , Yamakido Shinji , Takei Syuji , Yokota Shumpei , Nishimoto Norihiro
Published: December 2019

Objective

To investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of the IL-6 receptor antibody tocilizumab in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK).

Methods

Patients completing the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled period of the TAKT (Takayasu arteritis Treated with Tocilizumab) trial were followed up during open-label extended treatment with weekly s.c. tocilizumab 162 mg for up to 96 weeks or longer, with oral glucocorticoid tapering performed at the investigators’ discretion. Endpoints of the extension analysis included steroid-sparing effects of tocilizumab, imaging data, patient-reported outcomes (36-Item Short Form Health Survey) and safety.

Results

All 36 patients enrolled in the double-blind period entered the open-label extension; 28 patients received tocilizumab for 96 weeks. The median glucocorticoid dose was 0.223 mg/kg/day at the time of relapse before study entry, 0.131 mg/kg/day (interquartile range 0.099, 0.207) after 48 weeks and 0.105 mg/kg/day (interquartile range 0.039, 0.153) after 96 weeks. Overall, 46.4% of patients reduced their dose to <0.1 mg/kg/day, which was less than half the dose administered at relapse before study entry (mean difference –0.120 mg/kg/day; 95% CI −0.154, −0.087). Imaging evaluations indicated that most patients’ disease was improved (17.9%) or stable (67.9%) after 96 weeks compared with baseline. Mean 36-Item Short Form Health Survey physical and mental component summary scores and 7 of 8 domain scores were clinically improved from baseline and maintained over 96 weeks of tocilizumab treatment. No unexpected safety issues were reported.

Conclusion

These results in patients with Takayasu arteritis provide evidence of a steroid-sparing effect and improvements in well-being during long-term treatment with once-weekly tocilizumab 162 mg, with no new safety concerns.

Trial registration

JAPIC Clinical Trials Information, http://www.clinicaltrials.jp/user/cteSearch_e.jsp, JapicCTI-142616.
IMPLEMENTING A NEW DIFFUSION BATTERY FOR RADON PROGENY DOSE DETERMINATION
Authors: Fairchild Robert W , Long Stephen , Yule Andrew
Published: December 2019

The Australian Radiation Laboratory Diffusion Battery was created in 1992 to evaluate radon progeny dose coefficients based on measured aerosol conditions. The Australian Radiation Laboratory Diffusion Battery used filters, alpha counters and a legacy laptop computer running a PowerBASIC program that controlled the hardware. Because technology has evolved, the original system is not supportable. A replacement system consisting of separate hardware and software modules has been created. The hardware counting module is based on the proven design of the Effective Dosimeter, using modern detectors, electronics, flow sensors, a microcontroller and a secure digital memory card for data storage. The analysis of the data has been implemented in an Excel spreadsheet with Visual Basic for Applications coding to do loops and iterations. Tests of the software with current and historic data sets, all taken with the original Australian Radiation Laboratory Diffusion Battery system, have validated a modern, supportable diffusion battery system.
Parents still matter: the influence of parental enforcement of bedtime on adolescents’ depressive symptoms
Authors: Peltz Jack S , Rogge Ronald D , Connolly Heidi
Published: November 2019

Study Objectives

The aim of the current study was to test a multilevel mediation model that examined how adolescent sleep duration might be linked to depressive symptoms via their daytime energy levels. Furthermore, the study examined how parents’ enforcement of various types of bedtime rules predicted the duration of adolescent sleep.

Methods

A total of 193 adolescent (ages 14–17; Mage = 15.7 years old, SD = .94; 54.4% female; 71% Caucasian) and parent dyads completed baseline, online surveys, and adolescents also completed online 7-day, twice-daily (i.e. morning and evening) reports of their sleep duration (morning diary) and their energy levels and depressive symptoms throughout the day (evening diary). Parents (Mage = 47.6 years old, SD = 5.4; 80% female) completed assessments of enforcement of bedtime-related rules (i.e. bedtime, cessation of electronic media usage, prohibiting afternoon/evening caffeine consumption). Multilevel modeling enabled the testing of the mediation model both at the between-person level and within individuals.

Results

Results suggested that adolescents’ energy levels mediated the association between adolescents’ sleep duration and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, both greater enforcement of bedtimes and later school start times predicted longer sleep durations for adolescents, and were indirectly associated with adolescents’ depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

These findings underscore the importance of adolescents obtaining sufficient sleep to support their mental health and suggest a critical point of intervention for preventing or decreasing insufficient sleep. Given the diverse threats to adolescents’ sleep as well as adolescents’ desire for greater independence, collaborative, autonomy-promoting bedtime limit-setting is recommended to support adolescents’ well-being.
Influence of dietary roughage level and Megasphaera elsdenii on feedlot performance and carcass composition of thin cull beef cows fed for a lean market
Authors: DeClerck Jonathan C , Reeves Nathan R , Miller Mark F , Johnson Bradley J , Ducharme Gary A , Rathmann Ryan J
Published: November 2019

One hundred forty-four cull cows (body condition score = 2.10 ± 0.61; BW = 456 ± 47 kg) were organized into a 2 × 2 factorial design (48 pens, 12 pens/treatment, and 3 cows/pen) to evaluate the effect of dietary roughage level and oral drenching of Megasphaera elsdenii NCIMB 41125 (M. elsdenii culture; Lactipro Advance; MS Biotec Inc., Wamego, KS) on performance and carcass characteristics. Cattle were finished over a 42-day realimentation period, and aggressively stepped up over a 10-day period to either a high roughage finisher (HRF; 25% roughage) or a low roughage finisher (LRF; 10% roughage). Within diet, cattle were administered no probiotic or 100 mL of M. elsdenii culture (M. elsdenii NCIMB 41125, 2 108 cfu/mL) on day 0. No diet × probiotic interactions were detected (P ≥ 0.15), suggesting that the magnitude of the response was not influenced by the concentrate level of the diet. The main effect of diet triggered several significant responses. Decreasing roughage level tended to improve average daily gain (ADG) by 9.7% (0.26 kg, P = 0.08), while decreasing dry matter intake (DMI) by 0.9 kg (P = 0.09), provoking a 19.7% enhancement of feed efficiency (0.036 units, P < 0.01). However, interim data revealed declines of performance parameters among both diets with a significant difference between treatments only documented during the final phase of the realimentation period. During the final 14 days, LRF posted a 0.68 kg increase in ADG (P = 0.05) and a 2.0 kg decrease in DMI (P = 0.01), translating to improved feed efficiency (0.054 units, P = 0.03). This suggests that increasing the caloric density of finishing diets may help offset the regression of performance typically observed following a compensatory gain. No carcass traits were impacted by either diet or M. elsdenii culture (P ≥ 0.08). Overall, oral drenching of M. elsdenii culture tended to augment ADG (0.26 kg, P = 0.08) and carcass ADG (0.20 kg, P = 0.10). Implying that M. elsdenii culture was effective at alleviating the acidosis risk prompted by the rapid step-up period employed in the trial and may help capitalize on the narrow timeline of compensatory gain in cull cow realimentation.
Blockade of equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1/2 protects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa–induced acute lung injury and NLRP3 inflammasome activation
Authors: Chambers Eboni D. , White Alexis , Vang Alexander , Wang Zhengke , Ayala Alfred , Weng Tingting , Blackburn Michael , Choudhary Gaurav , Rounds Sharon , Lu Qing
Published: December 2019

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are increasingly multidrug resistant and cause healthcare‐associated pneumonia, a major risk factor for acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Adenosine is a signaling nucleoside with potential opposing effects; adenosine can either protect against acute lung injury via adenosine receptors or cause lung injury via adenosine receptors or equilibrative nucleoside transporter (ENT)‐dependent intracellular adenosine uptake. We hypothesized that blockade of intracellular adenosine uptake by inhibition of ENT1/2 would increase adenosine receptor signaling and protect against P. aeruginosa–induced acute lung injury. We observed that P. aeruginosa (strain: PA103) infection induced acute lung injury in C57BL/6 mice in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. Using ENT1/2 pharmacological inhibitor, nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBTI), and ENT1‐null mice, we demonstrated that ENT blockade elevated lung adenosine levels and significantly attenuated P. aeruginosa–induced acute lung injury, as assessed by lung wet‐to‐dry weight ratio, BAL protein levels, BAL inflammatory cell counts, pro‐inflammatory cytokines, and pulmonary function (total lung volume, static lung compliance, tissue damping, and tissue elastance). Using both agonists and antagonists directed against adenosine receptors A2AR and A2BR, we further demonstrated that ENT1/2 blockade protected against P. aeruginosa –induced acute lung injury via activation of A2AR and A2BR. Additionally, ENT1/2 chemical inhibition and ENT1 knockout prevented P. aeruginosa–induced lung NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Finally, inhibition of inflammasome prevented P. aeruginosa–induced acute lung injury. Our results suggest that targeting ENT1/2 and NLRP3 inflammasome may be novel strategies for prevention and treatment of P. aeruginosa–induced pneumonia and subsequent ARDS.
Phactr1 regulates Slack (KCNT1) channels via protein phosphatase 1 (PP1)
Authors: Ali Syed Rydwan , Malone Taylor Joseph , Zhang Yalan , Prechova Magdalena , Kaczmarek Leonard Konrad
Published: December 2019

The Slack (KCNT1) gene encodes sodium‐activated potassium channels that are abundantly expressed in the central nervous system. Human mutations alter the function of Slack channels, resulting in epilepsy and intellectual disability. Most of the disease‐causing mutations are located in the extended cytoplasmic C‐terminus of Slack channels and result in increased Slack current. Previous experiments have shown that the C‐terminus of Slack channels binds a number of cytoplasmic signaling proteins. One of these is Phactr1, an actin‐binding protein that recruits protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) to certain phosphoprotein substrates. Using co‐immunoprecipitation, we found that Phactr1 is required to link the channels to actin. Using patch clamp recordings, we found that co‐expression of Phactr1 with wild‐type Slack channels reduces the current amplitude but has no effect on Slack channels in which a conserved PKC phosphorylation site (S407) that regulates the current amplitude has been mutated. Furthermore, a Phactr1 mutant that disrupts the binding of PP1 but not that of actin fails to alter Slack currents. Our data suggest that Phactr1 regulates the Slack by linking PP1 to the channel. Targeting Slack‐Phactr1 interactions may therefore be helpful in developing the novel therapies for brain disorders associated with the malfunction of Slack channels.
Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of Modified Unilateral Open-door Laminoplasty with Posterior Muscle-Ligament Complex Preservation for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy
Authors: Chen Chao , Yang Cao , Yang Shuhua , Gao Yong , Zhang Yukun , Wu Xinghuo , Hua Wenbin , Shao Zengwu
Published: December 2019

Mini

The surgical results of modified and traditional open-door laminoplasties were retrospectively compared. There were no differences in neurological outcomes and postoperative complications. However, compared with traditional laminoplasty, modified laminoplasty was associated with better maintenance of cervical curvature and ROM, as well as a lower incidence of postoperative axial symptoms.

Study Design.

A retrospective comparative study.

Objective.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of modified unilateral open-door laminoplasty with posterior muscle-ligament complex preservation in treating cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).

Summary of Background Data.

The prevalence of axial symptoms after open-door laminoplasty ranges from 5% to 86%. Current modified laminoplasty techniques cannot satisfactorily reduce postoperative axial symptoms.

Methods.

From June 2014 to July 2016, 36 patients with CSM underwent modified laminoplasty with posterior muscle-ligament complex preservation (modified group) and 27 patients underwent traditional laminoplasty (control group). The demographics, operation duration, blood loss volume, cervical curvature, cervical curvature index (CCI), range of motion (ROM), cervical posterior muscle volume on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), axial symptoms, visual analog scale (VAS) score, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, neck disability index (NDI), and complications were recorded and analyzed before operation, after operation, and at the final follow-up.

Results.

Cervical flexion curvature, cervical curvature, ROM, and CCI were better in the modified group than in controls at the final follow-up (P < 0.01). Postoperative VAS and NDI scores were significantly reduced in the modified group compared with controls (1.15 ± 0.76 vs. 2.63 ± 1.06, 5.67 ± 2.57 vs. 8.89 ± 5.37, respectively) (P < 0.01). Posterior muscle volume at the hinge side in the modified group was not different at final follow-up relative to that before the operation, whereas it was reduced in controls (P < 0.01). Finally, the incidence of axial symptoms was significantly lower in the modified group than in controls (6% vs. 22%) (P = 0.03).

Conclusion.

Modified unilateral open-door laminoplasty with posterior muscle-ligament complex preservation is effective for treating CSM with good recovery of neurological functions and satisfactory maintenance of cervical curvature and ROM. Furthermore, it reduces the incidence of postoperative axial symptoms compared with conventional open-door laminoplasty.

Level of Evidence: 3
Comparison of Food Cue–Evoked and Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Obesity
Authors: Donofry Shannon D. , Jakicic John M. , Rogers Renee J. , Watt Jennifer C. , Roecklein Kathryn A. , Erickson Kirk I.
Published: December 2019

Objective

Obesity is associated with differences in task-evoked and resting-state functional brain connectivity (FC). However, no studies have compared obesity-related differences in FC evoked by high-calorie food cues from that observed at rest. Such a comparison could improve our understanding of the neural mechanisms of reward valuation and decision making in the context of obesity.

Methods

The sample included 122 adults (78% female; mean age = 44.43 [8.67] years) with body mass index (BMI) in the overweight or obese range (mean = 31.28 [3.92] kg/m2). Participants completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan that included a resting period followed by a visual food cue task. Whole-brain FC analyses examined seed-to-voxel signal covariation during the presentation of high-calorie food and at rest using seeds located in the left and right orbitofrontal cortex, left hippocampus, and left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex.

Results

For all seeds examined, BMI was associated with stronger FC during the presentation of high-calorie food, but weaker FC at rest. Regions exhibiting BMI-related modulation of signal coherence in the presence of palatable food cues were largely located within the default mode network (z range = 2.34–4.91), whereas regions exhibiting BMI-related modulation of signal coherence at rest were located within the frontostriatal and default mode networks (z range = 3.05–4.11). All FC results exceeded a voxelwise threshold of p < .01 and cluster-defining familywise error threshold of p < .05.

Conclusions

These dissociable patterns of FC may suggest separate neural mechanisms contributing to variation in distinct cognitive, psychological, or behavioral domains that may be related to individual differences in risk for obesity.
Borrelia maritima sp. nov., a novel species of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, occupying a basal position to North American species
Authors: Margos Gabriele , Fedorova Natalia , Becker Noémie S. , Kleinjan Joyce E. , Marosevic Durdica , Krebs Stefan , Hui Lucia , Fingerle Volker , Lane Robert S.
Published: December 2019

Borrelia

species are vector-borne parasitic bacteria with unusual, highly fragmented genomes that include a linear chromosome and linear as well as circular plasmids that differ numerically between and within various species. Strain CA690T, which was cultivated from a questing Ixodes spinipalpis nymph in the San Francisco Bay area, CA, was determined to be genetically distinct from all other described species belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. The genome, including plasmids, was assembled using a hybrid assembly of short Illumina reads and long reads obtained via Oxford Nanopore Technology. We found that strain CA690T has a main linear chromosome containing 902176 bp with a blast identity ≤91 % compared with other

Borrelia

species chromosomes and five linear and two circular plasmids. A phylogeny based on 37 single-copy genes of the main linear chromosome and rooted with the relapsing fever species

Borrelia duttonii

strain Ly revealed that strain CA690T had a sister-group relationship with, and occupied a basal position to, species occurring in North America. We propose to name this species Borrelia maritima sp. nov. The type strain, CA690T, has been deposited in two national culture collections, DSMZ (=107169) and ATCC (=TSD-160)
Thalassocella blandensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel member of the family Cellvibrionaceae
Authors: Lucena Teresa , Arahal David R. , Sanz-Sáez Isabel , Acinas Silvia G. , Sánchez Olga , Aznar Rosa , Pedrós-Alió Carlos , Pujalte María J.
Published: December 2019

Strain ISS155T, isolated from surface Mediterranean seawater, has cells that are Gram-reaction-negative, motile, strictly aerobic chemoorganotrophic, oxidase-positive, unable to reduce nitrate to nitrite, and able to grow with cellulose as the sole carbon and energy source. It is mesophilic, neutrophilic, slightly halophilic and has a requirement for sodium and magnesium ions. Its 16S rRNA gene sequence places the strain among members of

Cellvibrionaceae

, in the

Gammaproteobacteria

, with

Agarilytica rhodophyticola

017T as closest relative (94.3 % similarity). Its major cellular fatty acids are C18 : 1, C16 : 0 and C16 : 1; major phospholipids are phosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl ethanolamine and an unidentified lipid, and the major respiratory quinone is Q8. The genome size is 6.09 Mbp and G+C content is 45.2 mol%. A phylogenomic analysis using UBCG merges strain ISS155T in a clade with

A. rhodophyticola

,

Teredinibacter turnerae

,

Saccharophagus degradans

and

Agaribacterium haliotis

type strain genomes, all of them possessing a varied array of carbohydrate-active enzymes and the potential for polysaccharide degradation. Average amino acid identity indexes determined against available

Cellvibrionaceae

type strain genomes show that strain ISS155T is related to them by values lower than 60 %, with a maximum of 58 % to

A. rhodophyticola

017T and 57 % to

T. turnerae

T7902T and

S. degradans

2-40T. These results, together with the low 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities and differences in phenotypic profiles, indicate that strain ISS155T represents a new genus and species in

Cellvibrionaceae

, for which we propose the name Thalassocella blandensis gen. nov., sp. nov., and strain ISS155T (=CECT 9533T=LMG 31237T) as the type strain.
Response nonlinearities in networks of spiking neurons
Authors: Sanzeni Alessandro , Histed Mark H. , Brunel Nicolas
Published: December 2019

Combining information from multiple sources is a fundamental operation performed by networks of neurons in the brain, whose general principles are still largely unknown. Experimental evidence suggests that combination of inputs in cortex relies on nonlinear summation. Such nonlinearities are thought to be fundamental to perform complex computations. However, these non-linearities contradict the balanced-state model, one of the most popular models of cortical dynamics, which predicts networks have a linear response. This linearity is obtained in the limit of very large recurrent coupling strength. We investigate the stationary response of networks of spiking neurons as a function of coupling strength. We show that, while a linear transfer function emerges at strong coupling, nonlinearities are prominent at finite coupling, both at response onset and close to saturation. We derive a general framework to classify nonlinear responses in these networks and discuss which of them can be captured by rate models. This framework could help to understand the observed diversity of non-linearities observed in cortical networks.

AUTHOR SUMMARY

Models of cortical networks are often studied in the strong coupling limit, where the so-called balanced state emerges. In this strong coupling limit, networks exhibit without fine tuning, a number of ubiquitous properties of cortex, such as the irregular nature of neuronal firing. However, it fails to account for nonlinear summation of inputs, since the strong coupling limit leads to a linear network transfer function. We show that, in networks of spiking neurons, nonlinearities at response-onset and saturation emerge at finite coupling. Critically, for realistic parameter values, both types of nonlinearities are observed at experimentally observed rates. Thus, we propose that these models could explain experimentally observed nonlinearities.
Removal of Scanner Effects in Covariance Improves Multivariate Pattern Analysis in Neuroimaging Data
Authors: Chen Andrew A. , Beer Joanne C. , Tustison Nicholas J. , Cook Philip A. , Shinohara Russell T. , Shou Haochang ,   the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: December 2019

To acquire larger samples for answering complex questions in neuroscience, researchers have increasingly turned to multi-site neuroimaging studies. However, these studies are hindered by differences in images acquired across multiple scanners. These effects have been shown to bias comparison between scanners, mask biologically meaningful associations, and even introduce spurious associations. To address this, the field has focused on harmonizing data by removing scanner-related effects in the mean and variance of measurements. Contemporaneously with the increase in popularity of multi-center imaging, the use of multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) has also become commonplace. These approaches have been shown to provide improved sensitivity, specificity, and power due to their modeling the joint relationship across measurements in the brain. In this work, we demonstrate that methods for removing scanner effects in mean and variance may not be sufficient for MVPA. This stems from the fact that such methods fail to address how correlations between measurements can vary across scanners. Data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative is used to show that considerable differences in covariance exist across scanners and that popular harmonization techniques do not address this issue. We also propose a novel methodology that harmonizes covariance of multivariate image measurements across scanners and demonstrate its improved performance in data harmonization.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is capable of natural transformation in biofilms
Authors: Nolan Laura M. , Turnbull Lynne , Katrib Marilyn , Osvath Sarah R. , Losa Davide , Lazenby James J. , Whitchurch Cynthia B.
Published: December 2019

Natural transformation is a mechanism that enables competent bacteria to acquire naked, exogenous DNA from the environment. It is a key process that facilitates the dissemination of antibiotic resistance and virulence determinants throughout bacterial populations. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen that produces large quantities of extracellular DNA (eDNA) that is required for biofilm formation. P. aeruginosa has a remarkable level of genome plasticity and diversity that suggests a high degree of horizontal gene transfer and recombination but is thought to be incapable of natural transformation. Here we show that P. aeruginosa possesses homologs of all proteins known to be involved in natural transformation in other bacterial species. We found that P. aeruginosa in biofilms is competent for natural transformation of both genomic and plasmid DNA. Furthermore, we demonstrate that type IV pili (T4P) facilitate but are not absolutely essential for natural transformation in P. aeruginosa.