bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Citrusgreening.org: An open access and integrated systems biology portal for the Huanglongbing (HLB) disease complex
Authors: Flores-Gonzalez Mirella , Hosmani Prashant S , Fernandez-Pozo Noe , Mann Marina , Humann Jodi L. , Main Dorrie , Heck Michelle , Brown Susan , Mueller Lukas A , Saha Surya
Published: December 2019

We have created an open access web portal with pathosystem-wide resources and bioinformatics tools for the host citrus, the vector Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) and multiple pathogens including Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of a database to use the pathosystem as a holistic framework to understand an insect transmitted plant disease. This endeavor integrates and enables the analysis of data sets generated by the community to study the citrus greening disease complex. Users can submit relevant data sets to enable sharing and allow the community to better analyze their data within an integrated system. The portal contains a variety of tools for omics data. Metabolic pathway databases, CitrusCyc and DiaphorinaCyc provide organism specific pathways that can be used to mine metabolomics, transcriptomics and proteomics results to identify pathways and regulatory mechanism involved in disease response. Psyllid Expression Network (PEN) contains expression profiles of ACP genes from multiple life stages, tissues, conditions and hosts. Citrus Expression Network (CEN) contains public expression data from multiple tissues and conditions for various citrus hosts. All tools like Apollo/JBrowse, Biocyc, Blast, CEN and PEN connect to a central database containing gene models for citrus, ACP and multiple Liberibacter pathogens. The portal also includes electrical penetration graph (EPG) recordings of ACP feeding on citrus, information about citrus rootstock trials and metabolomics data in addition to traditional omics data types with a goal of combining and mining all information related to a pathosystem. The portal includes user-friendly manual curation tools to allow the research community to continuously improve this knowledge base as more experimental research is published. Bulk downloads are available for all genome and annotation datasets from the FTP site (ftp://ftp.citrusgreening.org). The portal can be accessed at https://citrusgreening.org/.
Alignment and quantification of ChIP-exo crosslinking patterns reveal the spatial organization of protein-DNA complexes
Authors: Yamada Naomi , Rossi Matthew J. , Farrell Nina , Pugh B. Franklin , Mahony Shaun
Published: December 2019

The ChIP-exo assay precisely delineates protein-DNA crosslinking patterns by combining chromatin immunoprecipitation with 5′ to 3′ exonuclease digestion. Within a regulatory complex, the physical distance of a regulatory protein to DNA affects crosslinking efficiencies. Therefore, the spatial organization of a protein-DNA complex could potentially be inferred by analyzing how crosslinking signatures vary between the subunits of a regulatory complex. Here, we present a computational framework that aligns ChIP-exo crosslinking patterns from multiple proteins across a set of coordinately bound regulatory regions, and which detects and quantifies protein-DNA crosslinking events within the aligned profiles. By producing consistent measurements of protein-DNA crosslinking strengths across multiple proteins, our approach enables characterization of relative spatial organization within a regulatory complex. We demonstrate that our approach can recover aspects of regulatory complex spatial organization when applied to collections of ChIP-exo data that profile regulatory machinery at yeast ribosomal protein genes and yeast tRNA genes. We also demonstrate the ability to quantify changes in protein-DNA complex organization across conditions by applying our approach to data profiling Drosophila Pol II transcriptional components. Our results suggest that principled analyses of ChIP-exo crosslinking patterns enable inference of spatial organization within protein-DNA complexes.
kRISP-meR: A Reference-free Guide-RNA Design Tool for CRISPR/Cas9
Authors: Hera Mahmudur Rahman , Rahman Amatur , Rahman Atif
Published: December 2019

Genome editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 system requires designing guide RNAs (sgRNA) that are efficient and specific. Guide RNAs are usually designed using reference genomes which limits their use in organisms with no or incomplete reference genomes. Here, we present kRISP-meR, a reference free method to design sgRNAs for CRISPR/Cas9 system. kRISP-meR takes as input a target region and sequenced reads from the organism to be edited and generates sgRNAs that are likely to minimize off-target effects. Our analysis indicates that kRISP-meR is able to identify majority of the guides identified by a widely used sgRNA designing tool, without any knowledge of the reference, while retaining specificity.
Latent space visualization, characterization, and generation of diverse vocal communication signals
Authors: Sainburg Tim , Thielk Marvin , Gentner Timothy Q
Published: December 2019

Animals produce vocalizations that range in complexity from a single repeated call to hundreds of unique vocal elements patterned in sequences unfolding over hours. Characterizing complex vocalizations can require considerable effort and a deep intuition about each species’ vocal behavior. Even with a great deal of experience, human characterizations of animal communication can be affected by human perceptual biases. We present here a set of computational methods that center around projecting animal vocalizations into low dimensional latent representational spaces that are directly learned from data. We apply these methods to diverse datasets from over 20 species, including humans, bats, songbirds, mice, cetaceans, and nonhuman primates, enabling high-powered comparative analyses of unbiased acoustic features in the communicative repertoires across species. Latent projections uncover complex features of data in visually intuitive and quantifiable ways. We introduce methods for analyzing vocalizations as both discrete sequences and as continuous latent variables. Each method can be used to disentangle complex spectro-temporal structure and observe long-timescale organization in communication. Finally, we show how systematic sampling from latent representational spaces of vocalizations enables comprehensive investigations of perceptual and neural representations of complex and ecologically relevant acoustic feature spaces.
ScmR, a global regulator of gene expression, quorum sensing, pH homeostasis, and virulence inBurkholderia thailandensis
Authors: Le Guillouzer Servane , Groleau Marie-Christine , Mauffrey Florian , Déziel Eric
Published: December 2019

The nonpathogenic soil saprophyteBurkholderia thailandensisis a member of theBurkholderia pseudomallei-thailandensis-mallei(Bptm) group, which also comprises the closely related human pathogensBurkholderia pseudomalleiandBurkholderia malleiresponsible for the diseases melioidosis and glanders, respectively. ScmR, a recently identified LysR-type transcriptional regulator (LTTR) inB. thailandensisacts as a global transcriptional regulator throughout the stationary phase, and modulates the production of a wide range of secondary metabolites, includingN-acyl-L-homoserine lactones (AHLs) and 4-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-alkylquinoline (HMAQ), virulence in the model hostCaenorhabditis elegans, as well as several quorum sensing (QS)-dependent phenotypes. We have investigated the role of ScmR inB. thailandensisstrain E264 during the exponential phase. We used RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) transcriptomic analyses to identify the ScmR regulon, which was compared to the QS-controlled regulon, showing a considerable overlap between the ScmR-regulated genes and those controlled by QS. We characterized several genes modulated by ScmR, using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) or mini-CTX-luxtranscriptional reporters, including the oxalate biosynthetic geneobc1required for pH homeostasis, the orphan LuxR-type transcriptional regulator BtaR5-encoding gene, thebsa(Burkholderiasecretion apparatus) type III secretion system (T3SS) genes essential for bothB. pseudomalleiandB. malleipathogenicity, as well as thescmRgene itself. We confirmed that the transcription ofscmRis under QS control, presumably ensuring fine-tuned modulation of gene expression. Finally, we demonstrate that ScmR influences virulence using the fruit fly model hostDrosophila melanogaster. We conclude that ScmR represents a central component of theB. thailandensisQS regulatory network.

Importance

Coordination of the expression of genes associated with bacterial virulence and environmental adaptation is often dependent on quorum sensing (QS). The QS circuitry of the nonpathogenic bacteriumBurkholderia thailandensis, which is widely used as a model system for the study of the human pathogenBurkholderia pseudomallei, is complex. We found that the recently identified LysR-type transcriptional regulator (LTTR), ScmR, which is highly conserved and involved in the control of virulence/survival factors in theBurkholderiagenus, is a global regulator mediating gene expression through the multiple QS systems coexisting inB. thailandensis, as well as independently of QS. We conclude that ScmR represents a key QS modulatory network element, ensuring tight regulation of the transcription of QS-controlled genes, particularly those required for acclimatization to the environment.
Recombinant HcGAPDH Protein Expressed on Probiotic Bacillus subtilis Spores Protects Sheep from Haemonchus contortus Infection by Inducing both Humoral and Cell-mediated Responses
Authors: Yang Yi , Zhang Guiheng , Wu Jie , Chen Xueqiu , Tong Danni , Yang Yimin , Shi Hengzhi , Yao Chaoqun , Zhuang Lenan , Wang Jianbin , Du Aifang
Published: December 2019

Probiotic Bacillales have been shown effective in controlling pathogens. In particular, live probiotic bacteria are thought to improve the composition of gastrointestinal microbiota, and to reduce pathogen colonization. However, how probiotics regulate immune responses and protect the host from parasitic infection remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated whether Bacillales can be used against Haemonchus contortus, a parasitic nematode that infects small ruminants in sheep and goats worldwide. Using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing, we found that Bacillales was highly depleted in the abomasal microbiota of sheep infected with H. contortus. We constructed a recombinant Bacillus subtilis strain (rBSCotB-HcG) that express glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase of H. contortus (HcGAPDH) on its spore surface. However, mice orally administrated with the rBSCotB-HcG strain showed strong Th1-dominated immune responses; and sheep administrated per os with rBSCotB-HcG showed increased proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, elevated anti-HcGAPDH IgG levels in sera, and higher anti-HcGAPDH sIgA levels in intestinal mucus. In addition, treatment of H. contortus infected sheep with rBSCotB-HcG (Hc+rBSCotB-HcG) promoted the abundance of probiotic species in the abomasal microbiota; it also improved the average weight gain of the sheep by 27.7%. These Hc+rBSCotB-HcG sheep have reduced number of eggs per gram of feces (by 84.1%) and worm burdens (by 71.5%), with alleviated abomasal damage by H. contortus. Collectively, our data demonstrate the protective roles of CotB-HcGAPDH-expressing B. subtilis spores against H. contortus infection, suggesting a potential value of using this probiotic-based strategy in controlling parasitic nematodes of socioeconomic importance.

Importance

Sequencing of the infected sheep ’s stomach flora revealed potential probiotics that could control H. contortus infection, and further genetically engineered recombinant probiotic spores expressing parasite protein, and validated their good immunogenicity in a mouse model. In the sheep infection model, the recombinant probiotics have proven to be effective against parasite infections.
Assessment of Water Stress Tolerance in Mungbean Induced by Polyethyline Glycol
Authors: Islam Mohammad Rafiqul , Islam Mohammad Sohidul , Sarker Bikash Chandra , Alam Ashraful , Akhter Masuma , Alam Mohammad Jahangir , Saneoka Hirofumi , Erman Murat , Sabagh Ayman EL
Published: December 2019

Water scarcity is a common hindrance of crop production in the globe especially in dry regions due to low precipitation along with high air temperature. Mungbean is a valuable pulse crop faced considerable amount of water shortage during its growing periods (March-May). Thus, the study was carried out to find out the variability and diversity present in the mungbean genotypes based on genetic variation of germination and seedling growth traits induced by polyethyline glycol (PEG-6000) stress (−0.7, −1, −2 and −4 bar). Seeds of each genotype was placed in a 9 cm diameter petridish containing sand bed that moistened by respective prepared PEG solutions and allowed to grow up to 10 days after placement. The result showed that the phenotypic coefficient of variation was significantly greater than the genotypic coefficient of variation for the entire studies traits, representing that these traits was influence by the environmental factors. The heritability showed moderate to high (24.26%-99.19%) under the observed traits indicating that these traits were under the control of additive genetic effects. The clustering pattern exhibited that cluster III were the largest ones with eleven genotypes. In case of contribution of different traits, the first five components were found to contribute for 98.19 % of the total variation while only first two components contributed for 82.12 % variation. The greater inter-cluster distance was found among the cluster I with II, III, IV and V. The maximum intra-cluster distance was observed in the cluster II (0.12). The genotypes in the cluster V recorded for greater performance by giving the highest mean value for germination, coefficient of germination, speed of germination, vigor index, shoot length and root length. This mean that genotype under cluster V have any gene or mechanism which responsible for tolerant higher level of water stress. The results of the study can be caring for establishing assortment criteria for water stress tolerant mungbean genotypes under breeding program.
Variation in repeat copy number of the Epithelial adhesin 1 tandem repeat region leads to variable protein display through multiple mechanisms
Authors: Raposo Colin J. , McElroy Kyle A. , Fuchs Stephen M.
Published: December 2019

The pathogenic yeast Candida glabrata is reliant on a suite of cell surface adhesins that play a variety of roles necessary for transmission, establishment, and proliferation during infection. One particular adhesin, Epithelial Adhesin 1 [Epa1p], is responsible for binding to host tissue, a process which is essential for fungal propagation. Epa1p structure consists of three domains: an N-terminal intercellular binding domain responsible for epithelial cell binding, a C-terminal GPI anchor for cell wall linkage, and a serine / threonine-rich linker domain connecting these terminal domains. The linker domain contains a 40-amino acid tandem repeat region, which we have found to be variable in repeat copy number between isolates from clinical sources. We hypothesized that natural variation in Epa1p repeat copy may modulate protein function. To test this, we recombinantly expressed Epa1p with various repeat copy numbers in S. cerevisiae to determine how differences in repeat copy number affect Epa1p expression, surface display, and binding to human epithelial cells. Our data suggest that repeat copy number variation has pleiotropic effects, influencing gene expression, protein surface display, shedding from the cell surface, and host tissue adhesion of the Epa1p adhesin. Understanding these links between repeat copy number variants and mechanisms of infection provide new understanding of the variety of roles of repetitive proteins contribute to pathogenicity of C. glabrata.
Software-supported collaboration in small- and medium-sized enterprises
Authors: Hardwig Thomas , Klötzer Stefan , Boos Margarete
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to understand the current state and challenges of deploying collaborative applications in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 101 SMEs in Germany showed how intensively collaborative applications are used today and the positive and negative effects associated with their use. Analyses proved correlations between the use of collaborative applications, the need for cooperation within SMEs and the effects and benefits of their use.

Findings

The company representatives surveyed reported a positive balance of their pro and con experiences with collaborative applications. The use of collaborative applications closely interacts with work-related demands: the more complex the requirements of joint action, the broader the benefits and challenges are of their use. The data also revealed three gaps between demand of cooperation and use of specific applications, supporting the argument that implementation of collaborative applications is challenging for SMEs. A successful use requires major changes in work systems and culture of the company.

Research limitations/implications

The data of the survey are not representative of the population of SMEs in Germany.

Originality/value

These empirical findings contribute a unique as well as substantive view of today’s state of digitalisation of project communication and management within SMEs, specifically their deployment of collaborative software.
Case of autoimmune progesterone dermatitis presenting as necrotic migratory erythema successfully controlled by danazol
Authors: Zhang Manfeng , Tang Xuhua , Zhou Hui , Liao Qiman , Han Jiande
Published: December 2019

Autoimmune progesterone dermatitis (APD) is a rare cutaneous disorder with cyclic skin eruptions during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Patients can present with various clinical manifestations, including urticaria and angioedema, erythema multiforme, eczema, fixed drug eruption and centrifugal erythema annulare. In our case, however, the patient’s skin lesions mimic necrotic migratory erythema (NME) which is most commonly associated with glucagonoma and rarely with liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, malnutrition and other tumors. To our knowledge, this is the first case of NME‐like APD and is successfully controlled by danazol. This also sheds lights on the etiologic diversity of NME.
Plant roots stimulate the decomposition of complex, but not simple, soil carbon
Authors: Moore Jessica A. M. , Sulman Benjamin N. , Mayes Melanie A. , Patterson Courtney M. , Classen Aimée T.
Published: December 2019

Roots release carbon into soil and can alleviate energy limitation of microbial organic matter decomposition. We know little about the effects of roots on microbial decomposition of different organic matter substrates, despite the importance for soil carbon stocks and turnover. Through implementing root–microbe interactions, the Carbon, Organisms, Rhizosphere and Protection in the Soil Environment (CORPSE) model was previously shown to represent dynamics of total soil carbon in temperate forest field experiments. However, the model permits alternative hypotheses concerning microbial‐substrate affinity.

We investigated how root inputs affect decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC) with variable decomposability. We simulated SOC stocks in CORPSE and compared microbial degradation of two substrate types with varying root–microbe interactions under two alternative hypotheses that varied in microbial‐substrate affinity. We compared our modelled hypotheses to a forest field experiment where we quantified decomposition of isotopically labelled starch and leaf tissues in soils with manipulated root access to microbes. We tested the hypothesis that decomposition of leaves would be more sensitive to root inputs than decomposition of starch, corresponding to the alternative model hypotheses.

In the field study, leaf decomposition increased with root density, whereas starch decomposition was unchanged by root density. Microbial biomass and enzyme activity consistently increased with root inputs in CORPSE and the field study. Our field experiment supported the CORPSE simulations with high microbial‐substrate affinity.

Roots stimulated microbial growth and enzyme production, which increased the degradation of more complex substrates such as leaf tissues. Substrates that were easily decomposed, such as starch, may already be degrading at a maximum rate in the absence of rhizosphere influence because their decomposition rate was unchanged by root inputs. We found that the degree to which roots stimulate microbial decomposition depends on the substrate being decomposed, and that root–microbe interactions influenced SOC stocks in both our model and field experiment. Environmental changes that alter root–microbe interactions could, therefore, alter soil C stocks and biogeochemical cycling, and models of these interactions should incorporate differential influence of rhizosphere inputs on different substrates.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
The mess of mesh
Authors: Chien Patrick
Published: December 2019

Deputy Editor‐in‐Chief, Dr Patrick Chien, discusses the latest thinking in women’s health and highlights articles from this issue in an audio podcast available at: https://soundcloud.com/bjog/january-editorial-2020
Stature Estimation from Postmortem CT Femoral Maximum Length in Contemporary Danish Population
Authors: Zhang Qun , Paz Adrià Rodríguez , Banner Jytte , Jørkov Marie Louise Schjellerup , Villa Chiara
Published: December 2019

Stature estimation methods for Danish adult population have generally relied on Trotter and Gleser’s and Boldsen’s regression equations that are based on the skeletal remains of recent war dead American Whites, Terry Skeletal Collection, and Danish archaeological medieval skeletal materials, respectively. These equations are probably not suitable for stature estimation in contemporary Danish forensic cases. Furthermore, because postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) is now routinely performed at Danish forensic departments, equations based on PMCT, rather than measurements of defleshed bones, are needed. The aim of this study was to develop new equations for adult stature estimation based on PMCT femoral measurement. Maximum femoral length was measured on the PMCT images of 78 individuals (41 males and 37 females) aged 23–45 years. The measurement accuracy was tested on dry bones, and all the measurements were included in the inter‐ and intra‐observer analyses. Both analyses results demonstrated the reliability of the method and data. Comparison between the living stature of the individuals and the estimates based on the equations by Trotter and Gleser and Boldsen demonstrated the unreliability of the previous equations to some extent. New regression equations were then developed and validated on a different sample of 18 Danish forensic cases. Comparisons of all the equations indicated that both the sets of previous equations underestimated the stature in the new validation dataset. The new equations developed in this study provide a reliable alternative for stature estimation in modern Danish forensic cases.
Emergency department impact following the introduction of an electric scooter sharing service
Authors: Beck Sierra , Barker Luke , Chan Annie , Stanbridge Signe
Published: December 2019

Objective

We aimed to describe the impact on the single ED serving Dunedin, New Zealand, following the introduction of an electric‐scooter (e‐scooter) sharing service.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study comparing the number of vehicle related injuries during identical 6‐week periods in 2018 and 2019 was performed. A descriptive analysis of the subset of e‐scooter related presentations was undertaken.

Results

A total of 172 and 228 vehicle related injury presentations were identified in samples from 2018 and 2019, respectively. During the 2018 study period zero e‐scooter related ED presentations were identified. In 2019 there were 56 e‐scooter related ED presentations (P‐value <0.001) representing 54 events. There were 52 car, 21 motorbike and 62 bicycle related presentations during the same 2019 time period. Further descriptive analysis showed the majority of e‐scooter presentations were for minor injury. Fractures or dislocations were found in 17 (32%) patients and 14 (26%) patients sustained a head injury, one of which was severe. Isolated minor musculoskeletal injuries were seen in 25 (46%) patients. On average one ED bed was occupied by an e‐scooter patient for 2 h and 44 min each day during the 6‐week study period in 2019.

Conclusion

The introduction of an e‐scooter sharing service resulted in a new injury hazard. Our study presents the number of e‐scooter related ED presentations relative to other vehicles related injury visits and describes the injury patterns associated with e‐scooter use which may inform future public policy.
Effects of developmental plasticity on heat tolerance may be mediated by changes in cell size in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Verspagen Nadja , Leiva Félix P. , Janssen Irene M. , Verberk Wilco C. E. P.
Published: December 2019

There is a growing interest in the physiology underpinning heat tolerance of ectotherms and their responses to the ongoing rise in temperature. However, there is no consensus about the underlying physiological mechanisms. According to “the maintain aerobic scope and regulate oxygen supply” hypothesis, responses to warming at different organizational levels contribute to the ability to safeguard energy metabolism via aerobic pathways. At the cellular level, a decrease in cell size increases the capacity for the uptake of resources (e.g., food and oxygen), but the maintenance of electrochemical gradients across cellular membranes implies greater energetic costs in small cells. In this study, we investigated how different rearing temperatures affected cell size and heat tolerance in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We tested the hypothesis that smaller‐celled flies are more tolerant to acute, intense heat stress whereas larger‐celled flies are more tolerant to chronic, mild heat stress. We used the thermal tolerance landscape framework, which incorporates the intensity and duration of thermal challenge. Rearing temperatures strongly affected both cell size and survival times. We found different effects of developmental plasticity on tolerance to either chronic or acute heat stress. Warm‐reared flies had both smaller cells and exhibited higher survival times under acute, intense heat stress when compared to cold‐reared flies. However, under chronic, mild heat stress, the situation was reversed and cold‐reared flies, consisting of larger cells, showed better survival. These differences in heat tolerance could have resulted from direct effects of rearing temperature or they may be mediated by the correlated changes in cell size. Notably, our results are consistent with the idea that a smaller cell size may confer tolerance to acute temperatures via enhanced oxygen supply, while a larger cell may confer greater tolerance to chronic and less intense heat stress via more efficient use of resources.
Novel paper‐based colorimetric immunoassay (PCI) for sensitive and specific detection of salbutamol residues in flesh of swine and urine using Ag3PO4/Ag nanocomposite as label
Authors: Malahom Nutthaporn , Jarujamrus Purim , Anutrasakda Wipark , Chawengkirttikul Runglawan , Siripinyanond Atitaya , Meelapsom Rattapol , Amatatongchai Maliwan
Published: December 2019

Salbutamol (SAL) can cause potential hazards to human health and its use as a growth promoter in meat‐producing animals is illegal. This work reports a novel approach for competitive paper‐based colorimetric immunoassay (PCI) using the Ag3PO4/Ag nanocomposite as label for sensitive and specific determination of SAL in flesh of swine and urine. The Ag3PO4/Ag nanocomposite was synthesized by a one‐step chemical bath method, which could instantly oxidize a chromogenic substrate for the color development under acidic conditions without the participation of H2O2. This approach provides high affinity between the Ag3PO4/Ag nanocomposite and the substrate (with the Michaelis–Menten constant of 0.44 mM). In addition, the fabrication process of the PCI was simple and cost‐effective. Particularly, the novel PCI also exhibits simplicity and cost‐effectiveness of the fabrication process through a simple wax screen‐printing, which requires inexpensive equipment and material including a screen, wax, a squeegee, and a hair dryer. Under optimal conditions, the competitive PCI exhibited a linearity range of 0.025 to 1.00 µg/L. The developed approach offers advantages over the conventional ELISA for the purpose of routine use because it requires a shorter incubation time (<1 hr), significantly small volumes of reagents and samples (<100 µL each), and an inexpensive consumer‐grade digital camera coupled with a simple gray‐scale transformation of the RGB (Red Green Blue) color image for the purpose of quantification of the detection.

Practical Application

Salbutamol (SAL) can cause potential hazards to human health and the use of which as growth promoter in meat‐producing animals is illegal. This work introduces a novel approach for competitive immunoassay on paper‐based colorimetric immunoassay using the Ag3PO4/Ag nanocomposite as the label (instead of using natural enzyme) for low‐cost, sensitive, and specific determination of SAL residues at low level in flesh of swine and urine samples. The proposed approach offers advantages over the conventional ELISA for the purpose of routine use.
Redistribution of pulmonary ventilation after lung surgery detected with electrical impedance tomography
Authors: Lehmann Martin , Oehler Beatrice , Zuber Jonas , Malzahn Uwe , Walles Thorsten , Muellenbach Ralf M. , Roewer Norbert , Kredel Markus
Published: December 2019

Background

Regional ventilation of the lung can be visualized by pulmonary electrical impedance tomography (EIT). The aim of this study was to examine the post‐operative redistribution of regional ventilation after lung surgery dependent on the side of surgery and its association with forced vital capacity.

Methods

In this prospective, observational cohort study 13 patients undergoing right and 13 patients undergoing left‐sided open or video‐thoracoscopic procedures have been investigated. Pre‐operative measurements with EIT and spirometry were compared with data obtained 3 days post‐operation. The center of ventilation (COV) within a 32 × 32 pixel matrix was calculated from EIT data. The transverse axis coordinate of COV, COVx (left/right), was modified to COVx′ (ipsilateral/contralateral). Thus, COVx′ shows a negative change if ventilation shifts contralateral independent of the side of surgery. This enabled testing with two‐way ANOVA for repeated measurements (side, time).

Results

The perioperative shift of COVx′ was dependent on the side of surgery (P = .007). Ventilation shifted away from the side of surgery after the right‐sided surgery (COVx′‐1.97 pixel matrix points, P < .001), but not after the left‐sided surgery (COVx′‐0.61, P = .425). The forced vital capacity (%predicted) decreased from 94 (83‐109)% (median [quartiles]; [left‐sided]) and 89 (80‐97)% (right‐sided surgery) to 61 (59‐66)% and 62 (40‐72)% (P < .05), respectively. The perioperative changes in forced vital capacity (%predicted) were weakly associated with the shift of COVx′.

Conclusion

Only after right‐sided lung surgery, EIT showed reduced ventilation on the side of surgery while vital capacity was markedly reduced in both groups.
Mortality prediction models in the adult critically ill: A scoping review
Authors: Keuning Britt E. , Kaufmann Thomas , Wiersema Renske , Granholm Anders , Pettilä Ville , Møller Morten Hylander , Christiansen Christian Fynbo , Castela Forte José , Snieder Harold , Keus Frederik , Pleijhuis Rick G. , van der Horst Iwan C. C. ,   HEALICS consortium
Published: December 2019

Background

Mortality prediction models are applied in the intensive care unit (ICU) to stratify patients into different risk categories and to facilitate benchmarking. To ensure that the correct prediction models are applied for these purposes, the best performing models must be identified. As a first step, we aimed to establish a systematic review of mortality prediction models in critically ill patients.

Methods

Mortality prediction models were searched in four databases using the following criteria: developed for use in adult ICU patients in high‐income countries, with mortality as primary or secondary outcome. Characteristics and performance measures of the models were summarized. Performance was presented in terms of discrimination, calibration and overall performance measures presented in the original publication.

Results

In total, 43 mortality prediction models were included in the final analysis. In all, 15 models were only internally validated (35%), 13 externally (30%) and 10 (23%) were both internally and externally validated by the original researchers. Discrimination was assessed in 42 models (98%). Commonly used calibration measures were the Hosmer‐Lemeshow test (60%) and the calibration plot (28%). Calibration was not assessed in 11 models (26%). Overall performance was assessed in the Brier score (19%) and the Nagelkerke's R2 (4.7%).

Conclusions

Mortality prediction models have varying methodology, and validation and performance of individual models differ. External validation by the original researchers is often lacking and head‐to‐head comparisons are urgently needed to identify the best performing mortality prediction models for guiding clinical care and research in different settings and populations.
The discrimination of quick Paediatric Early Warning Scores in the pre‐hospital setting
Authors: Corfield A. R. , Clerihew L. , Stewart E. , Staines H. , Tough D. , Rooney K. D.
Published: December 2019

In our previous study, a Paediatric Early Warning Score could be calculated for only one‐fifth of 102,993 children transported by ambulance to hospital, as components other than supplemental oxygen were not reliably measured: respiratory rate 90,358 (88%); Glasgow Coma Score 83,648 (81%); heart rate 83,330 (81%); time to capillary reperfusion 81,685 (79%); oxygen saturation 71,372 (69%); temperature 60,402 (59%); systolic blood pressure 37,088 (36%). We tested 12 abbreviated scores with 3–5 components. The discrimination of these 12 scores for the primary outcome (30‐day mortality or admission to paediatric intensive care), as measured by the area under the receiving operator characteristic curve, ranged from 0.69 to 0.80. Scores could be calculated for at most 74,508 (72%) children when heart rate, conscious level and respiratory rate were measured, with or without supplemental oxygen: the discrimination of these two versions was 0.75 and 0.77, respectively. Optimal threshold scores of 3 and 2 for these two abbreviated versions discriminated an outcome rate of 2–3% in about one third of children from the other children who had < 1% rate of outcome.
Curative effect comparison of transforaminal endoscopic spine system and traditional open discectomy: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Yuan Chao , Zhou Yue , Pan Yong , Wang Jian
Published: December 2019

Background

Transforaminal endoscopic spine system (TESSYS) has the advantages of small trauma, rapid recovery, early out‐of‐bed activity and fewer postoperative complications in lumbar disc herniation (LDH) surgery. However, whether TESSYS would show a better curative effect than traditional open discectomy is not certain.

Methods

Related clinical trial reports were collected from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library as well as China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. After careful screening, the enrolled studies were evaluated by systematic review and meta‐analysis using Revman v5.2 and STATA v11.

Results

Using visual analogue scale as assessment index, TESSYS has a better operation effect than open discectomy only at 1 and 12 months after operation, the pooled standard mean differences were −0.289 (95% confidence interval (CI) −0.518 to 0.060, P = 0.013) and −0.18 (95% CI −0.34 to 0.03, P = 0.022). When using the Japanese Orthopaedics Association assessment index, a better operation effect of TESSYS was shown only at 3 months after operation, standard mean difference −0.394 (95% CI −0.678 to 0.110, P = 0.007). There were no obvious differences between TESSYS and open discectomy in Oswestry disability index assessment.

Conclusions

TESSYS seems to display an equal operation effect with traditional open discectomy.
Randomised trial showed that rapid rehydration of severely malnourished children with dehydrating diarrhoea was as safe and effective as slow rehydration
Authors: Alam Nur H. , Ashraf Hasan , Ahmed Tahmeed , Jahan Nishat , Gyr Niklaus
Published: December 2019

Aim

This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of rapid and slow rehydration in children aged 6‐60 months with dehydrating diarrhoea and severe malnutrition.

Methods

A randomised controlled trial was conducted from July 2011 to March 2014 at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research Bangladesh. We included children with weight for age and, or, weight for length Z‐scores of less than −3 or with bipedal oedema and acute diarrhoea with severe dehydration. The children received intravenous fluid at different rates: 105 rapidly over six hours and 103 slowly over the 12 hours recommended by the World Health Organization.

Results

All the children were successfully rehydrated. The admittance weights were similar for the slow and rapid groups: 8.4 kg and 8.3 kg. After 24 hours, the mean percentage weight gain was 8.5% and 9.0%, respectively. This confirmed that most of the children had been suffering from severe dehydration on admission. The respective proportions of children who received unscheduled intravenous fluid were 18% and 17%. None developed fluid overload or heart failure and most recovered normal renal function after rehydration.

Conclusion

Rapid rehydration saved time, was as safe as slow rehydration and was a better option for dehydrating diarrhoea and severe malnutrition.
Clinicians' use of and attitudes towards technology to provide and support interventions in child and adolescent mental health services
Authors: Cliffe Bethany , Croker Abigail , Denne Megan , Stallard Paul
Published: December 2019

Background

Technology can increase child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) capacity by supporting and delivering interventions, yet it has not been widely adopted by CAMHS child mental health professionals. Uptake can either be facilitated or obstructed by child mental health professionals' attitudes, which remain largely unknown.

Method

One hundred fifty‐four CAMHS child mental health professionals completed a questionnaire about their use of, and attitudes towards, using technology with children and adolescents.

Results

Child mental health professionals perceived themselves as generally competent at using technology, especially younger child mental health professionals, and perceived it to be helpful in their clinical work. A number of benefits of its use were identified such as accessibility, convenience and appeal, and it was primarily perceived as a preventative/psychoeducational tool rather than a replacement for face‐to‐face therapy. Older technologies (helplines and websites) were most frequently used, whereas newer technologies (computer games) were rarely used. Child mental health professionals were unsure what resources were available and whether technology is safe, private or reliable.

Conclusions

Despite positive attitudes towards technology, newer technologies were rarely used by child mental health professionals. An overall lack of knowledge about resources along with concerns about safety and reliability may account for the slow uptake of technology within CAMHS. These issues need addressing to maximise implementation, perhaps through training or workshops.
Self‐perceived dental treatment need among adolescents: A hierarchical analysis
Authors: da Cunha Inara Pereira , Mialhe Fábio Luiz , Pereira Antonio Carlos , Vedovello Sílvia Amélia Scudeler , Bulgareli Jaqueline Vilela , Frias Antônio Carlos , Ambrosano Gláucia Maria Bovi , de Castro Meneghim Marcelo
Published: December 2019

Objectives

The aim of the present study was to analyse the factors associated with self‐perceived need for dental treatment among adolescents.

Methods

A representative sample in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, comprising 5558 adolescents, was evaluated in 2015. The adolescents were selected by probabilistic sampling by conglomerates in two stages. The outcome evaluated was self‐perceived treatment need measured via a validated questionnaire. Independent variables included sociodemographic factors, type, frequency and reason for last dental visit, and examination of oral conditions. Statistical analysis was based on the multiple hierarchical logistic regression model.

Results

Of the total sample, 3340 (62.6%) adolescents reported needing dental treatment. After fitting the model, the self‐perceived need for treatment was associated with adolescents with family income of up to $1,500 BRL (OR 1.39; [95% CI = 1.20‐1.60]; P < .001), who sought dental services solely for curative treatment (OR 1.58; [95% CI = 1.46‐1.72]; P < .001), reported toothaches in the previous six months (OR 2.88; [95% CI = 2.53‐3.28]; P < .001), were dissatisfied with the appearance of their teeth and mouth (OR 5.94; [95% CI = 5.03‐7.01]; P < .001), had caries in the posterior teeth only (OR 3.04; [95% CI = 2.77‐3.33]; P < .001) or had caries in the anterior teeth (OR 4.75; [95% CI = 4.05‐5.56]; P < .001).

Conclusions

The self‐perceived need for dental treatment among Brazilian adolescents was associated with normative and subjective needs, and sociodemographic context factors. This finding provides important evidence for collective health planning.
Distributed autonomy and trade‐offs in online multiobject k‐coverage
Authors: Esterle Lukas , Lewis Peter R.
Published: December 2019

In this article, we explore the online multiobject k‐coverage problem in visual sensor networks. This problem combines k‐coverage and the cooperative multirobot observation of multiple moving targets problem, and thereby captures key features of rapidly deployed camera networks, including redundancy and team‐based tracking of evasive or unpredictable targets. The benefits of using mobile cameras are demonstrated and we explore the balance of autonomy between cameras generating new subgoals, and those responders able to fulfill them. We show that higher performance against global goals is achieved when decisions are delegated to potential responders who treat subgoals as optional, rather than as obligations that override existing goals without question. This is because responders have up‐to‐date knowledge of their own state and progress toward goals where they are situated, which is typically old or incomplete at locations remote from them. Examining the extent to which approaches overprovision or underprovision coverage, we find that being well suited for achieving 1‐coverage does not imply good performance at k‐coverage. Depending on the structure of the environment, the problems of 1‐coverage and k‐coverage are not necessarily aligned and that there is often a trade‐off to be made between standard coverage maximization and achieving k‐coverage.
Use of alcohol swabs to clean injecting sites among people who regularly inject drugs in Australia
Authors: Gibbs Daisy , Peacock Amy , O'Keefe Daniel , Butler Kerryn , Bruno Raimondo , Lenton Simon , Burns Lucinda , Larney Sarah
Published: December 2019

Introduction and Aims

Cleaning drug injection sites with alcohol swabs prior to injecting reduces risk of abscesses and other skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI). Better understanding of swabbing behaviours can inform interventions to improve injecting hygiene. We aimed to determine the socio‐demographic, drug use and injecting risk exposure correlates of swabbing prior to injecting and reasons for not swabbing.

Design and Methods

The Illicit Drug Reporting System recruited participants who had injected drugs at least monthly in the past six months in June–July 2017 from all Australian capital cities via needle and syringe programs and word‐of‐mouth. A structured interview was used to collect information on drug use and related behaviour, as well as swabbing practices. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with not swabbing at last injection.

Results

Of 853 respondents, one‐quarter (26%) reported that they did not swab prior to their last injection. In adjusted analyses, crystal methamphetamine as the last drug injected, past month receptive or distributive syringe sharing, and past month re‐use of one's own needle were significantly associated with not swabbing at last injection. Among participants who did not swab at last injection, swabbing was frequently considered unnecessary and a small number disliked using alcohol swabs.

Discussion and Conclusions

Efforts are needed to increase awareness of the importance of injecting hygiene in preventing SSTI. Interventions to increase swabbing should be included as part of a wider package of injecting hygiene education, particularly in light of associations with receptive and/or distributive syringe sharing.
THE IMPACTS OF THE USDA BROADBAND LOAN AND GRANT PROGRAMS: MOVING TOWARD ESTIMATING A RATE OF RETURN
Authors: Kandilov Ivan T. , Renkow Mitch
Published: December 2019

In this article, we evaluate the rate of return to government efforts to promote broadband. Specifically, we estimate the impact of USDA's broadband loan and grant programs on the average payroll per worker using zip code level data from the Zip Code Business Patterns for the period from 1997 to 2007. Our results indicate that two of the smaller broadband programs (the Pilot loan program and the broadband grants program) likely had no effect on local payroll per workers. On the other hand, the largest program in terms of funding and coverage (the current broadband loan program) likely had a positive impact. Our estimate implies that a $1 per capita increase in a particular zip code's one‐time receipt of the current program broadband loan results in a $0.92 increase in payroll per worker annually. Our calculated point estimates of the benefit: cost ratios for this broadband program range from 1.98 to 2.99, depending on assumptions about the time frame over which benefits accrue. However, the confidence intervals are wide enough to include the possibility that the costs outweigh the benefits.(JEL L86, J30, O18)
Effects of choice on neuronal activity in anterior cingulate, prelimbic, and infralimbic cortices in the rat: Comparison of serial lever pressing with delayed nonmatching to position
Authors: Francoeur Miranda J. , Mair Robert G.
Published: December 2019

The ability to choose between response alternatives based on their likely consequences depends on distributed neural circuits that involve rodent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). To understand the effects of choice on mPFC function, we compared the activity of mPFC neurons in rats performing two tasks: dynamic delayed nonmatching to position (dDNMTP), a task with a prefrontal‐dependent conditional choice, and serial lever pressing (SLP), a task lacking a choice but trained in the same apparatus with sequences of actions and reinforcements matched to dDNMTP. More neurons exhibited event‐related responses during dDNMTP than SLP. Average firing rate during recording sessions was higher during dDNMTP for neurons with event‐related responses, but lower for neurons with activity unrelated to behavioural events. Thus, compared to SLP, dDNMTP appears to enhance the activity of neurons that represent behaviourally relevant information and to suppress the activity of neurons that do not. dDNMTP was associated with responses related to preparation and memory delay that were not observed during SLP as well as enhanced responses related to movement and reinforcement. These results provide evidence that choice in the dDNMTP task is associated with adaptive changes in background firing rates and coding properties of mPFC neurons.