bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A case report of cardiac amyloidosis presenting with chronic pericardial effusion and conduction block
Authors: John Kevin John , Mishra Ajay Kumar , Iyyadurai Ramya
Published: September 2019

Background

Amyloidosis is caused by the deposition of abnormal proteins in the extracellular space of various organs. The clinical features of amyloidosis depend on the type of amyloid protein and the organ system involved.

Case summary

A 51-year-old woman developed complete heart block which warranted a permanent pacemaker insertion. She was referred for evaluation of chronic pericardial effusion. The patient had stable vital signs and muffled heart sounds on examination of the cardiovascular system. Her chest X-ray film showed a permanent pacemaker in situ, and echocardiogram showed a chronic pericardial effusion without features of tamponade. On further evaluation, she was found to have an M band on serum electrophoresis, elevated free light chain ratio and amyloid deposits in bone marrow biopsy. Technetium pyrophosphate (Tc-PYP) scintigraphy was consistent with cardiac amyloidosis.

Discussion

Cardiac amyloidosis can have diverse clinical presentations. Chronic pericardial effusion and conduction block can be a rare presentation of cardiac amyloidosis and needs to be considered while evaluating the same. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and Tc-PYP imaging can be used in establishing the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis, if endomyocardial biopsy is not feasible.
Voriconazole efficacy against Candida glabrata and Candida krusei: preclinical data using a validated in vitro pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model
Authors: Beredaki Maria-Ioanna , Georgiou Panagiota-Christina , Siopi Maria , Kanioura Lamprini , Arendrup Maiken Cavling , Mouton Johan W , Meletiadis Joseph
Published: September 2019

Background

Voriconazole exhibits in vitro activity against Candida glabrata and Candida krusei (EUCAST/CLSI epidemiological cut-off values 1/0.25 and 1/0.5 mg/L, respectively). Yet, EUCAST found insufficient evidence to set breakpoints for these species. We explored voriconazole pharmacodynamics (PD) in an in vitro dynamic model simulating human pharmacokinetics (PK).

Methods

Four C. glabrata and three C. krusei isolates (voriconazole EUCAST and CLSI MICs of 0.03–2 mg/L) were tested in the PK/PD model simulating voriconazole exposures (t½ ∼6 h q12h dosing for 3 days). PK/PD breakpoints were determined calculating the PTA for exposure indices fAUC0–24/MIC associated with half-maximal activity (EI50) using Monte Carlo simulation analysis.

Results

Fungal load increased from 3.60 ± 0.35 to 8.41 ± 0.24 log10 cfu/mL in the drug-free control, with a maximum effect of ∼1 log10 kill of C. glabrata and C. krusei isolates with MICs of 0.06 and 0.25 mg/L, respectively, at high drug exposures. The 72 h log10 cfu/mL change versus fAUC0–24/MIC relationship followed a sigmoid curve for C. glabrata (R2=0.85–0.87) and C. krusei (R2=0.56–0.76) with EI50 of 49 (32–76) and 52 (33–78) fAUC/MIC for EUCAST and 55 (31–96) and 80 (42–152) fAUC/MIC for CLSI, respectively. The PTAs for C. glabrata and C. krusei isolates with EUCAST/CLSI MICs ≤0.125/≤0.06 mg/L were >95%. Isolates with EUCAST/CLSI MICs of 0.25–1/0.125–0.5 would require trough levels 1–4 mg/L; isolates with higher MICs would not attain the corresponding PK/PD targets without reaching toxicity.

Conclusions

The in vitro PK/PD breakpoints for C. glabrata and C. krusei for EUCAST (0.125 mg/L) and CLSI (0.06 mg/L) bisected the WT populations. Trough levels of >4 mg/L, which are not clinically feasible, are necessary for efficacy against WT isolates.
Drones: Innovative Technology for Use in Precision Pest Management
Authors: Iost Filho Fernando H , Heldens Wieke B , Kong Zhaodan , de Lange Elvira S
Published: September 2019

Arthropod pest outbreaks are unpredictable and not uniformly distributed within fields. Early outbreak detection and treatment application are inherent to effective pest management, allowing management decisions to be implemented before pests are well-established and crop losses accrue. Pest monitoring is time-consuming and may be hampered by lack of reliable or cost-effective sampling techniques. Thus, we argue that an important research challenge associated with enhanced sustainability of pest management in modern agriculture is developing and promoting improved crop monitoring procedures. Biotic stress, such as herbivory by arthropod pests, elicits physiological defense responses in plants, leading to changes in leaf reflectance. Advanced imaging technologies can detect such changes, and can, therefore, be used as noninvasive crop monitoring methods. Furthermore, novel methods of treatment precision application are required. Both sensing and actuation technologies can be mounted on equipment moving through fields (e.g., irrigation equipment), on (un)manned driving vehicles, and on small drones. In this review, we focus specifically on use of small unmanned aerial robots, or small drones, in agricultural systems. Acquired and processed canopy reflectance data obtained with sensing drones could potentially be transmitted as a digital map to guide a second type of drone, actuation drones, to deliver solutions to the identified pest hotspots, such as precision releases of natural enemies and/or precision-sprays of pesticides. We emphasize how sustainable pest management in 21st-century agriculture will depend heavily on novel technologies, and how this trend will lead to a growing need for multi-disciplinary research collaborations between agronomists, ecologists, software programmers, and engineers.
Impact of West Nile Virus on Bird Populations: Limited Lasting Effects, Evidence for Recovery, and Gaps in Our Understanding of Impacts on Ecosystems
Authors: Kilpatrick A Marm , Wheeler Sarah S
Published: September 2019

The introduction of West Nile virus to North America in 1999 had profound impacts on human and wildlife health. Here, we review studies of WNV impacts on bird populations and find that overall impacts have been less than initially anticipated, with few species showing sustained changes in population size or demographic rates across multiple regions. This raises four questions: 1) What is the evidence for WNV impact on bird populations and how can we strengthen future analyses? We argue that future studies of WNV impacts should explicitly incorporate temporal variation in WNV transmission intensity, integrate field data with laboratory experimental infection studies, and correct for multiple comparisons. 2) What mechanisms might explain the relatively modest impact of WNV on most bird populations? We suggest that spatial and temporal variation in WNV transmission moderates WNV impacts on species that occur in multiple habitats, some of which provide refugia from infection. 3) Have species recovered from the initial invasion of WNV? We find evidence that many species and populations have recovered from initial WNV impact, but a few have not. 4) Did WNV cause cascading effects on other species and ecosystems? Unfortunately, few studies have examined the cascading effects of WNV population declines, but evidence suggests that some species may have been released from predation or competition. We close by discussing potentially overlooked groups of birds that may have been affected by WNV, and one highlight species, the yellow-billed magpie (Pica nutalli Audubon, 1837 [Passeriformes: Corvidae]), that appears to have suffered the largest range-wide impact from WNV.
Brainstem Tumor Resection via Occipital Interhemispheric Transtentorial Infracollicular Approach: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Song Jianping , Zhao Xiaochun , Li Peiliang , Zhang Xin , Fan Zhen , Pan Zhiguang , Zhu Wei
Published: September 2019

A brainstem tumor located at the upper pons or pontomesencephalic region is surgically challenging because of the deep-seated location and difficulty to approach, especially if the lesion is intra-axial and extends anteriorly without appearing on the pia surface. In our experience, the infracollicular entry point is feasible for such lesions and can be approached by an occipital interhemispheric transtentorial corridor through a straightforward trajectory, which ensures surgical ergonomics. Herein, we present a case of a 55-yr-old woman with a pontomesencephalic lesion removed via an occipital interhemispheric transtentorial infracollicular approach. Informed consent was obtained from the patient. Her preoperative medical course and radiological findings strongly indicated the lesion as a brainstem cavernous malformation. Although the overlying brainstem parenchyma was thin, the lesion did not appear on the pial surface. The lesion was removed via an occipital interhemispheric transtentorial infracollicular approach. During the operation, the lesion was observed to have an old hemorrhagic component and an obvious gliotic boundary, resembling the typical macropathology of a brainstem cavernous malformation. We easily dissected the lesion circumferentially off the brainstem parenchyma after thorough debulking, and a gross total resection was performed en bloc. However, postoperative pathology confirmed a diagnosis of a metastatic neuroendocrine tumor, and further systematic examination revealed cancerous lesions in the lungs. The patient experienced slight hypophrasia but recovered within 3 d postoperatively and then was discharged for further treatment. This case demonstrates the safety and efficacy of an occipital interhemispheric transtentorial infracollicular approach for brainstem tumor resection.
The Feasibility and Perioperative Results of Bi-Portal Endoscopic Resection of a Facet Cyst Along With Minimizing Facet Joint Resection in the Degenerative Lumbar Spine
Authors: Akbary Kutbuddin , Kim Jin-Sung , Park Cheul Woong , Jun Su Gi , Hwang In Chang
Published: September 2019

BACKGROUND

Presentation of degenerative facet cysts (FC) as radicular pain in patients is well established. The traditional treatment of FCs has been decompressive laminectomy with a medial facetectomy and cyst excision. A major disadvantage of open procedures with medial facetectomy is predisposition to further instability.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a contralateral bi-portal endoscopic excision of FC along with minimizing facet joint resection.

METHODS

Thirteen patients between March 2016 and December 2017 were evaluated retrospectively for clinical, radiological, and morphometric outcomes. Patients with complaints of unilateral radiculopathy with associated neurogenic claudication from degenerative lumbar FC were included. Clinical evaluation was by NRS leg pain and ODI scores, radiological evaluation was by MRI. For morphometric analysis, cross-sectional area of facet joint (CSA-FJ) was measured on MRI in square millimeters.

RESULTS

Thirteen FCs were decompressed (no adverse events) NRS leg pain and ODI improved from 6.85 ± 0.69 and 65.08 ± 7.95 preoperatively to 1 ± 0.91 and 13.46 ± 5.19 at 1-yr follow-up, respectively. CSA-FJ remained relatively well preserved from 212.83 ± 58.05 to 189.77 ± 62.93 post decompression (statistically insignificant, P = .3412).

CONCLUSION

Bi-portal endoscopic decompression of FC can be performed with good clinical and radiological outcomes. This surgical technique may be recommended for further evaluation as an addition in the armamentarium of a spine surgeon for treatment of degenerative lumbar FC.
Isolation of Natural Fungal Pathogens from Marchantia polymorpha Reveals Antagonism between Salicylic Acid and Jasmonate during Liverwort–Fungus Interactions
Authors: Matsui Hidenori , Iwakawa Hidekazu , Hyon Gang-Su , Yotsui Izumi , Katou Shinpei , Monte Isabel , Nishihama Ryuichi , Franzen Rainer , Solano Roberto , Nakagami Hirofumi
Published: September 2019

The evolution of adaptive interactions with beneficial, neutral and detrimental microbes was one of the key features enabling plant terrestrialization. Extensive studies have revealed conserved and unique molecular mechanisms underlying plant–microbe interactions across different plant species; however, most insights gleaned to date have been limited to seed plants. The liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, a descendant of early diverging land plants, is gaining in popularity as an advantageous model system to understand land plant evolution. However, studying evolutionary molecular plant–microbe interactions in this model is hampered by the small number of pathogens known to infect M. polymorpha. Here, we describe four pathogenic fungal strains, Irpex lacteus Marchantia-infectious (MI)1, Phaeophlebiopsis peniophoroides MI2, Bjerkandera adusta MI3 and B. adusta MI4, isolated from diseased M. polymorpha. We demonstrate that salicylic acid (SA) treatment of M. polymorpha promotes infection of the I. lacteus MI1 that is likely to adopt a necrotrophic lifestyle, while this effect is suppressed by co-treatment with the bioactive jasmonate in M. polymorpha, dinor-cis-12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (dn-OPDA), suggesting that antagonistic interactions between SA and oxylipin pathways during plant–fungus interactions are ancient and were established already in liverworts.
On the gauge-invariant path-integral measure for the overlap Weyl fermions in 16 of SO(10)
Authors: Kikukawa Yoshio
Published: September 2019

We consider the lattice formulation of SO(10) chiral gauge theory with left-handed Weyl fermions in the 16-dimensional spinor representation ($\underline{16}$) within the framework of the overlap fermion/Ginsparg–Wilson relation. We define a manifestly gauge-invariant path-integral measure for the left-handed Weyl field using all the components of the Dirac field, but the right-handed part of it is just saturated completely by inserting a suitable product of the SO(10)-invariant ’t Hooft vertices in terms of the right-handed field. The definition of the measure applies to all possible topological sectors of admissible link fields. The measure possesses all required transformation properties under lattice symmetries and the induced effective action is CP invariant. The global U(1) symmetry of the left-handed field is anomalous due to the non-trivial transformation of the measure, while that of the right-handed field is explicitly broken by the ’t Hooft vertices. There remains the issue of smoothness and locality in the gauge-field dependence of the Weyl fermion measure, but the question is well defined and the necessary and sufficient condition for this property is formulated in terms of the correlation functions of the right-handed auxiliary fields. In the weak gauge-coupling limit at least, all the auxiliary fields have short-range correlations and the question can be addressed further by Monte Carlo methods without encountering the sign problem. We also discuss the relations of our formulation to other approaches/proposals to decouple the species doubling/mirror degrees of freedom. These include the Eichten–Preskill model, the mirror-fermion model with overlap fermions, the domain-wall fermion model with the boundary Eichten–Preskill term, 4D topological insulator/superconductor with a gapped boundary phase, and the recent studies on the PMS phase/“mass without symmetry breaking”. We clarify the similarities and differences in the technical details and show that our proposal is a unified and well defined testing ground for that basic question.
A nuclear matter calculation with the tensor-optimized Fermi sphere method with central interaction
Authors: Yamada T , Myo T , Toki H , Horiuchi H , Ikeda K
Published: September 2019

The tensor-optimized Fermi sphere (TOFS) theory is applied first for the study of the property of nuclear matter using the Argonne V4$^\prime$$NN$ potential. In the TOFS theory, the correlated nuclear matter wave function is taken to be a power-series type of the correlation function $F$, where $F$ can induce central, spin–isospin, tensor, etc. correlations. This expression has been ensured by a linked cluster expansion theorem established in the TOFS theory. We take into account the contributions from all the many-body terms arising from the product of the nuclear matter Hamiltonian $\mathcal{H}$ and $F$. The correlation function is optimally determined in the variation of the total energy of nuclear matter. It is found that the density dependence of the energy per particle in nuclear matter is reasonably reproduced up to the nuclear matter density $\rho \simeq 0.20$ fm$^{-3}$ in the present numerical calculation, in comparison with other methods such as the Brueckner–Hartree–Fock approach.
Dynamical generation of quark/lepton mass hierarchy in an extra dimension
Authors: Fujimoto Yukihiro , Hasegawa Kouhei , Nishiwaki Kenji , Sakamoto Makoto , Takenaga Kazunori , Tanaka Pedro Hugo , Ueba Inori
Published: September 2019

We show that the observed quark/lepton mass hierarchy can be realized dynamically on an interval extra dimension with point interactions. In our model, the positions of the point interactions play a crucial role in controlling the quark/lepton mass hierarchy and are determined by the minimization of the Casimir energy. By use of the exact extra-dimensional coordinate-dependent vacuum expectation value of a gauge-singlet scalar, we find that there is a parameter set, where the positions of the point interactions are stabilized and fixed, which can reproduce the experimental values of the quark masses precisely enough, while the charged lepton part is less relevant. We also show that possible mixings among the charged leptons will improve the situation significantly.
Superior Hypogastric Plexus Blocks for Postoperative Pain Management in Abdominal Hysterectomies
Authors: Aytuluk Hande G. , Kale Ahmet , Astepe Bahar S. , Basol Gulfem , Balci Canan , Colak Tuncay
Published: September 2019

Objective:

To evaluate the efficacy of intraoperative superior hypogastric plexus (SHP) blocks on postoperative pain management in abdominal hysterectomies.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 78 female American Society of Anesthesiologists grade I or II patients who underwent elective total abdominal hysterectomy for benign reasons were assessed for eligibility. After exclusion of patients who did not fulfill the inclusion criteria, 60 patients were evaluated in 2 groups: patients who had intraoperative SHP block (SHP; n=30), and patients who did not have intraoperative SHP block (No-SHP; n=30).

Results:

There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in demographic attributes, surgical duration, and length of hospital stay. Opioid requirements in both the postanesthesia care unit and gynecology ward, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug requirements in the ward were statistically significantly higher in the No-SHP group (P<0.05). Rescue analgesic times were found to be significantly longer in the SHP group (627±352.9 min; P<0.05). All visual analogue scale score assessments were found to be statistically significantly lower in the SHP group (P<0.05). No complications related to the SHP blocks were observed.

Conclusions:

Intraoperative SHP blocks in abdominal hysterectomies appear to be promising methods for acute postoperative pain management as part of a multimodal analgesia regimen. Although single SHP blocks provide adequate pain relief and reduce analgesic consumption, these blocks might have better results when used together with somatic nerve blocks, including abdominal wall blocks or wound site infiltrations.
Increasing Parental Access to Pediatric Pain-related Knowledge
Authors: Gagnon Michelle M. , Hadjistavropoulos Thomas , McAleer Lana M. , Stopyn Rhonda J.N.
Published: September 2019

Objectives:

Parents can play an integral role in managing their child’s pain, yet many parents remain unaware of evidence-based strategies to support their child during painful experiences. Recent advances in knowledge translation research, which include dissemination and implementation studies, have resulted in programs geared towards parents to offset this knowledge gap. The nature of these programs and the degree to which parents find them useful remains unclear. Our goal was to systematically review programs aimed as disseminating and implementing evidence-based pain-related knowledge to parents.

Materials and Methods:

Systematic searches of PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycInfo were completed. Articles in which information was disseminated to parents with the goal of assessing dissemination and implementation outcomes were retained. Information was extracted to identify study characteristics, primary outcomes, and quality of evidence.

Results:

A total of 24,291 abstracts were screened and 12 articles describing programs were retained. Programs were positively rated by parents in terms of the appropriateness of formats selected, presentation of information, and helpfulness of content. The majority of research has been focused in the area of procedural pain among infants. Although several implementation domains are reported by researchers, certain areas have been overlooked to date, including the cost and sustainability of programs. The majority of reports presented with methodological limitations and bias.

Discussion:

Knowledge translation research in pediatric pain is in its infancy. Development of theories and guidelines to increase the utility and quality of evidence are needed.
Fixation of Transverse Acetabular Fractures With Precontoured Plates Alone Causes Fracture Malreduction: A Biomechanical Assessment
Authors: Alfonso Nicholas A. , Ryan Weston , Baldini Todd , Reiter Michael , Joyce Christopher , Mauffrey Cyril
Published: September 2019

Background:

Precontoured quadrilateral surface buttress (PQSB) plates have grown in popularity for acetabular fracture fixation. However, our experience has pushed us to hypothesize that their use as sole means of fixation may cause fracture malreduction. A biomechanical model was created to investigate this theory.

Methods:

A transverse acetabular fracture was created and reduced anatomically in 18 synthetic hemipelvises. The reduced hemipelvises were fixated using 3 different techniques. Group A fixation included anterior and posterior column screws plus a suprapectineal pelvic reconstruction plate; group B models were fixed using a PQSB plate only; and group C models were fixed with an anterior column screw and a PQSB plate. Acetabular tracking points were placed before final fixation and used to quantify any postfixation displacement. One-way analysis of variance and Tukey HSD testing were used to determine the significant difference (P < 0.05).

Results:

Models in group B had significant fracture displacement after final fixation when compared with group A and group C models. The average amount of displacement at the anterior column and within the acetabulum was 1.37 mm (95% CI, 1.08–1.65) in group B constructs compared with 0.32 mm (95% CI, 0.22–0.42) and 0.26 mm (95% CI, 0.15–0.38) in groups A and C constructs, respectively. There were no significant differences in displacement after final fixation between group A and group C models.

Conclusions:

PQSB plates for acetabular fractures cause malreduction when applied in isolation in this biomechanical model. If a PQSB plate is chosen for fixation, we suggest the use of a columnar lag screw at minimum to hold reduction before plate application.
Incidence of Epinephrine Reactions With Local Anesthesia in Mohs Micrographic Surgery
Authors: McLawhorn Justin M. , Clark Summer , Lander Steven , Truong Valerie , Aston Christopher E. , Collins Lindsey , Stasko Thomas
Published: September 2019

BACKGROUND

The incidence of reactions to epinephrine-containing local anesthetics in Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) has not been established.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the incidence of epinephrine-induced reactions from local anesthetics in patients who undergo MMS for the removal of cutaneous malignancies.

METHODS

From 2016 to 2018, 200 MMS patients were recruited from the authors' surgical center. Assessments were obtained throughout the entirety of the Mohs cases during a single visit.

RESULTS

This study estimated the incidence of epinephrine reactions in patients who undergo MMS to be 2.0% (95% confidence interval: 0.1%–3.9%). No relationship between epinephrine dose and incidence of adverse effects was found. Patient age was a significant risk factor for the development of an epinephrine reaction.

CONCLUSION

Systemic reactions to epinephrine from local anesthetics are an infrequent adverse event in MMS cases. The data suggest that the absolute dose of local anesthetic with epinephrine does not correlate with the risk of developing an epinephrine reaction. Older age seems to have a protective effect.
Monthly variation of hot flashes, night sweats, and trouble sleeping: effect of season and proximity to the final menstrual period (FMP) in the SWAN Menstrual Calendar substudy
Authors: Harlow Siobán D. , Elliott Michael R. , Bondarenko Irina , Thurston Rebecca C. , Jackson Elizabeth A.
Published: September 2019

Objective:

Although reproductive function is influenced by season, few studies have evaluated seasonal effects on menopausal symptoms. We assessed the impact of season and proximity to the final menstrual period (FMP) on frequency of symptom reporting.

Methods:

In all, 955 participants in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation recorded whether or not they had experienced menopausal symptoms on a monthly menstrual calendar over a 10-year period. We modeled the log-odds of presence of a given symptom each month using a logistic mixed-effects model, assuming a third-order polynomial before the FMP and a different third-order polynomial after the FMP. We assumed sine and cosine functions for month of the year.

Results:

Five to 10 years before the FMP, ∼20% of women reported hot flashes and night sweats, whereas ∼40% reported trouble sleeping. Prevalence rose ∼4 years before the FMP with a sharp jump in hot flash (∼60%) and night sweats (∼40%) prevalence coincident with the FMP. Peaks in hot flashes and trouble sleeping were observed in July with troughs in January. The peak and trough in night sweats occurred about 1 month earlier. Odds of hot flashes, night sweats, and trouble sleeping were 66%, 50%, and 24% greater, respectively, at the seasonal peak versus the seasonal minimum.

Conclusion:

Menopausal symptoms exhibit seasonal variation associated with the summer and winter equinoxes. Seasonal increases in night sweats precede increases in hot flashes. Prospectively recorded monthly symptom data demonstrate that hot flashes and night sweats increase notably coincident with the FMP.

Video Summary:

http://links.lww.com/MENO/A476.
Neuromas and postamputation pain
Authors: Buch Nina Stockfleth , Qerama Erisela , Brix Finnerup Nanna , Nikolajsen Lone
Published: September 2019

Postamputation stump and phantom pain are highly prevalent but remain a difficult condition to treat. The underlying mechanisms are not fully clarified, but growing evidence suggests that changes in afferent nerves, including the formation of neuromas, play an important role. The main objective of this cross-sectional study was to investigate whether ultrasound-verified neuroma swellings are more frequent in amputees with postamputation pain than in amputees without pain (primary outcome). Sixty-seven amputees were included. Baseline characteristics including the frequency and intensity of spontaneous stump and phantom pain were obtained, and sensory characteristics and evoked responses were assessed. A high-frequency ultrasound examination of the amputated extremity was performed to obtain information on the presence, size, and elasticity of swollen neuromas and pressure pain thresholds. Swollen neuromas were present in 53 (79.1%) of the 67 amputees included in the study, in 47 (82.5%) of 57 amputees with pain and in 6 (60.0%) of 10 amputees without pain (P = 0.2). No difference was found in stump pain intensity (P = 0.42) during the last week or in phantom pain intensity in the last month (P = 0.74) between amputees with and without swollen neuromas. Our findings suggest that it is not the presence of swollen neuromas itself that drives postamputation pain. However, changes in the transected nerve endings may still be crucial for driving postamputation pain because a positive Tinel sign was significantly more frequent in amputees with pain, irrespectively of the degree of neuroma swelling.
Molecular characterization of respiratory syncytial viruses circulating in a paediatric cohort in Amman, Jordan
Authors: Trovão Nídia S. , Khuri-Bulos Najwa , Tan Yi , Puri Vinita , Shilts Meghan H. , Halpin Rebecca A. , Fedorova Nadia B. , Nelson Martha I. , Halasa Natasha , Das Suman R.
Published: September 2019

Respiratory syncytial viruses (RSVs) are an important cause of mortality worldwide and a major cause of respiratory tract infections in children, driving development of vaccine candidates. However, there are large gaps in our knowledge of the local evolutionary and transmission dynamics of RSVs, particularly in understudied regions such as the Middle East. To address this gap, we sequenced the complete genomes of 58 RSVA and 27 RSVB samples collected in a paediatric cohort in Amman, Jordan, between 2010 and 2013. RSVA and RSVB co-circulated during each winter epidemic of RSV in Amman, and each epidemic comprised multiple independent viral introductions of RSVA and RSVB. However, RSVA and RSVB alternated in dominance across years, potential evidence of immunological interactions. Children infected with RSVA tended to be older than RSVB-infected children [30 months versus 22.4 months, respectively (P value = 0.02)], and tended to developed bronchopneumonia less frequently than those with RSVB, although the difference was not statistically significant (P value = 0.06). Differences in spatial patterns were investigated, and RSVA lineages were often identified in multiple regions in Amman, whereas RSVB introductions did not spread beyond a single region of the city, although these findings were based on small sample sizes. Multiple RSVA genotypes were identified in Amman, including GA2 viruses as well as three viruses from the ON1 sub-genotype that emerged in 2009 and are now the dominant genotype circulating worldwide. As vaccine development advances, further sequencing of RSV is needed to understand viral ecology and transmission, particularly in under-studied locations.
Supervised learning of protein thermal stability using sequence mining and distribution statistics of network centrality
Authors: Sharma Ankit , Bagler Ganesh , Bera Debajyoti
Published: September 2019

Motivation

It is expected that the difference in the thermal stability of mesophilic and thermophilic proteins arises, in part at least, from the differences in their molecular structures and amino acid compositions. Existing machine learning approaches for supervised classification of proteins rely on the features derived from the structural networks and the amino acid sequences. However, the network features used leave out several important network centrality values, the statistic used is a simple average and the sequence features used are hand-picked leading to an accuracy of 90%.

Results

We show that discriminating sub-sequences of the amino acid sequences can significantly improve classification accuracy compared to the existing approaches of counting amino acids, di-peptide or even tri-peptide bonds. We identify notions of network centrality, specifically that depends on the distances betweenCαatoms, that appears to correlate better with thermal stability compared to the existing network features. We also show how to generate better statistics from the node- and edge-wise centrality values that more accurately captures the variations in their values for different types of proteins. These improved feature selection techniques make it possible to classify between thermophilic and mesophilic proteins with 96% accuracy and 99% area under ROC.

Availability

The dataset and source code used are available athttps://github.com/ankits0207/Protein_Classification_BIO699

Contact

dbera@iiitd.ac.in

online.
PKCα-dependent interaction of otoferlin and calbindin: evidence for regulation of endocytosis in inner hair cells
Authors: Cepeda Andreia P. , Al-Moyed Hanan , Lenz Christof , Urlaub Henning , Reisinger Ellen
Published: September 2019

Otoferlin is essential for the fast and indefatigable release of synaptic vesicles at auditory inner hair cell (IHC) ribbon synapses, being involved in exocytic, endocytic and regenerative steps of the synaptic vesicle cycle. Serving diverse functions at this highly dynamic synapse implies that this multi-C2domain protein is precisely regulated. Here we found protein kinase C α (PKCα) and otoferlin to colocalize in endocytic recycling compartments upon IHC depolarization and to interact in an activity-dependent manner.In vitroassays confirmed that PKCα can phosphorylate otoferlin at five serine residues, which correlates with increased serine phosphorylation in <40 nm proximity to otoferlin in murine IHCs that can be fully blocked by combining PKC and CaMKII inhibitors. Moreover, otoferlin interacts with calbindin-D28k in stimulated IHCs, which was precluded when PKCα was inhibited. Similarly, the activity-dependent increase in otoferlin-myosin VI interaction depends on PKCα activation. We propose that upon strong hair cell depolarization, PKCα phosphorylates otoferlin, thereby enabling it to interact with calbindin-D28k and myosin VI, building a Ca2+-dependent signaling complex that possibly regulates different modes of endocytosis.
A novel terpene synthase produces an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone in the butterflyHeliconius melpomene
Authors: Darragh Kathy , Orteu Anna , Byers Kelsey J. R. P. , Szczerbowski Daiane , Warren Ian A. , Rastas Pasi , Pinharanda Ana L. , Davey John W. , Garza Sylvia Fernanda , Almeida Diana Abondano , Merrill Richard M. , McMillan W. Owen , Schulz Stefan , Jiggins Chris D.
Published: September 2019

Terpenes, a group of structurally diverse compounds, are the biggest class of secondary metabolites. While the biosynthesis of terpenes by enzymes known as terpene synthases (TPSs) has been described in plants and microorganisms, few TPSs have been identified in insects, despite the presence of terpenes in multiple insect species. Indeed, in many insect species, it remains unclear whether terpenes are sequestered from plants or biosynthesisedde novo. No homologs of plant TPSs have been found in insect genomes, though insect TPSs with an independent evolutionary origin have been found in Hemiptera and Coleoptera. In the butterflyHeliconius melpomene, the monoterpene (E)-β-ocimene acts as an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone, where it is transferred during mating from males to females to avoid re-mating by deterring males. To date only one insect monoterpene synthase has been described, inIps pini(Coleoptera), and is a multifunctional TPS and isoprenyl diphosphate synthase (IDS). Here, we combine linkage mapping and expression studies to identify candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of (E)-β-ocimene. We confirm thatH. melpomenehas two enzymes that exhibit TPS activity, and one of these, HMEL037106g1 is able to synthesise (E)-β-ocimenein vitro. Unlike the enzyme inIps pini, these enzymes only exhibit residual IDS activity, suggesting they are more specialised TPSs, akin to those found in plants. Phylogenetic analysis shows that these enzymes are unrelated to previously described plant and insect TPSs. The distinct evolutionary origin of TPSs in Lepidoptera suggests that they have evolved multiple times in insects.

Significance statement

Terpenes are a diverse class of natural compounds, used by both plants and animals for a variety of functions, including chemical communication. In insects it is often unclear whether they are synthesisedde novoor sequestered from plants. Some plants and insects have converged to use the same compounds. For instance, (E)-β-ocimene is a common component of floral scent and is also used by the butterflyHeliconius melpomeneas an anti-aphrodisiac pheromone. We describe two novel terpene synthases, one of which synthesises (E)-β-ocimene inH. melpomene, unrelated not only to plant enzymes but also other recently identified insect terpene synthases. This provides the first evidence that the ability to synthesise terpenes has arisen multiple times independently within the insects.
High Plasmodium infection intensity in naturally infected malaria vectors in Africa
Authors: Bompard Anais , Da Dari F. , Yerbanga Serge R. , Morlais Isabelle , Awono-Ambéné Parfait H. , Dabiré Roch K. , Ouédraogo Jean Bosco , Lefèvre Thierry , Churcher Thomas S. , Cohuet Anna
Published: September 2019

The population dynamics of human-to-mosquito malaria transmission in the field has important implications for the genetics, epidemiology and control of malaria. The number of oocysts in oocysts positive mosquitoes developing from a single, naturally acquired infectious blood meal (herein referred to as parasite exposure) greatly influence the effectiveness of transmission blocking interventions but still remains poorly documented. During a year-long analysis of malaria parasite transmission in Burkina Faso we caught and dissected wild malaria vectors to assess Plasmodium oocysts prevalence and load (the number of oocysts counted in mosquitoes with detectable oocysts) and the prevalence of salivary gland sporozoites. This was compared to malaria endemicity in the human population assessed in cross-sectional surveys. Data was analyzed using a novel transmission mathematical model to estimate the per-bite transmission probability and the average parasite exposure of mosquitoes for each location. Observed oocysts load and estimated parasite exposure in naturally infected mosquitoes is substantially higher than previous estimates (ranging from 3.2 to 24.5 according to seasons and locations) and indicates a strong positive association between parasite exposure of mosquitoes and parasite prevalence in human. This work suggests that highly infected mosquitoes may have a greater influence on the epidemiology and genetics of the parasite and that novel partially effective transmission blocking interventions may become more effective at halting transmission as parasite exposure is diminished.
Modeled buoyancy of eggs and larvae of the deep-sea shrimp Aristeus antennatus (Crustacea: Decapoda) in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Clavel-Henry Morane , Solé Jordi , Kristiansen Trond , Bahamon Nixon , Rotllant Guiomar , Company Joan B.
Published: September 2019

Information on the buoyancy of eggs and larvae from deep-sea species is rare but necessary for explaining the position of non-swimming larvae in the water column. Due to embryonic morphology and ecology diversities, egg buoyancy has important variations within one species and among other ones. Nevertheless, it has hardly been explored if this buoyancy variability can be a strategy for deep-sea larvae to optimize their transport beyond their spawning areas. In the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, protozoea and mysis larvae of the commercial deep-sea shrimp Aristeus antennatus were recently found in upper layers, but to present, earlier stages like eggs and nauplii have not been collected. Using a Lagrangian transport model and larval characteristics, we evaluate the buoyancy and hydrodynamic effects on the transport of A. antennatus larvae in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. The transport models suggested that 75% of buoyant eggs released between 500 and 800 m depth (i.e., known spawning area), reached the upper water layers (0–75 m depth). Then, according to the modeled larval drifts, three spawning regions were defined in the studied area: 1) the northern part, along a continental margin crossed by large submarine canyons; 2) the central part, with two circular circulation structures (i.e., eddies); and 3) the southern part, with currents flowing through a channel. The number of larvae in the most upper layer (0–5 m depth) was higher if the larval transport model accounted for the ascent of eggs and nauplii (81%) instead of eggs reaching the surface before hatching (50%). The larvae reaching the most water upper layer (0–5 m depth) had higher rates of dispersal than the ones transported below the surface layer (deeper than 5 m depth). The results of larval dispersal simulations have implications for the understanding of A. antennatus larval ecology and for management decisions related to the shrimp fisheries in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea.
Structure determination of the nucleosome core particle by selenium SAD phasing
Authors: Saotome Mika , Horikoshi Naoki , Urano Kazuki , Kujirai Tomoya , Yuzurihara Hidetaka , Kurumizaka Hitoshi , Kagawa Wataru
Published: September 2019

The eukaryotic genome is compacted inside the nucleus of the cell in the form called chromatin. The fundamental unit of chromatin is the nucleosome, which contains four types of histones (H3, H4, H2A and H2B) and approximately 150 base pairs of DNA wrapped around the histone complex. The structure of the nucleosome is highly conserved across several eukaryotic species, and molecular replacement has been the primary phasing method used to solve nucleosome structures by X-ray crystallography. However, there is currently no simple, widely applicable experimental phasing method for the nucleosome. In the present study, it is demonstrated that selenomethionine-incorporated histones H3, H2A and H2B can be reconstituted into nucleosomes and crystallized for structural determination. Unexpectedly, it was found that the nucleosome can be phased with a relatively small number of Se atoms. The structures of nucleosome core particles containing 12 and 16 Se atoms were solved by SAD phasing at 2.5 and 2.4 Å resolution, respectively. The present study demonstrates a simple method for determining nucleosome structures by experimental phasing, which may be particularly useful for noncanonical structures that cannot be solved by molecular replacement.
Not a solo ride: co-constructed peer mentoring for early-career educational leadership faculty
Authors: Morton Benterah C. , Gil Elizabeth
Published: September 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the origins of a co-constructed peer-mentoring model designed by and for early-career faculty representing historically underrepresented groups in the field of educational leadership. The model, which includes components of the multicultural feminist model of mentoring, pays specific attention to early-career faculty development and well-being and outlines the need for and benefits of peer-mentoring programs.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study details the experiences of the development and implementation of a peer-mentoring program based on a review of literature that points out the need to provide mentoring opportunities for early-career educational leadership faculty, from historically underrepresented populations, and further posits peer-mentoring as an avenue to enhance faculty development and well-being.

Findings

Faculty representing historically underrepresented groups often experience challenges related to their identities, alongside the general pressures of working toward tenure. Peer-mentoring groups provide support with which to navigate these challenges. Peer-mentor groups are a supplement to other professional groups and interactions within departments and institutions.

Practical implications

The model has implications of being able to prepare institutional leaders to work toward institutionalizing mentoring programs that take into consideration invisible labor while promoting professional growth and personal wellness, thereby increasing the satisfaction and retention of faculty.

Originality/value

This peer-mentoring model can be used as a tool to leverage collective support, rather than emphasize individual success. As a support vehicle, it can foster a cultural change within the field of educational leadership that supports collaboration over competition.
From “Technical Newbies” to “Optimistic Politicians”
Authors: Prater James , Kirytopoulos Konstantinos , Ma Tony
Published: September 2019

Purpose

Despite the advent of sophisticated control methods, there are still significant issues regarding late delivery of information technology projects. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the common causes of scheduling problems specifically in the information technology projects context.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a quantitative research, the importance of those causes, as well as the underpinning factors driving them, is explored. The causes are ranked according to their relative important index, and exploratory factor analysis is employed to reveal underlying dimensions (factors) of these causes.

Findings

From the analysis, four factors were extracted, namely, “Dataless Newbie,” “Technical Newbie,” “Pragmatic Futurist” and “Optimistic Politician.” These factors explain the different latent conditions that lead to scheduling problems in information technology projects.

Practical implications

The key contribution of this research is that it enlightens the latent conditions underpinning scheduling problems. Also, the evidence provides that schedule development for information technology projects is impacted by the same causes that impact engineering projects, and that applying a number of mitigation techniques widely used within the engineering area, such as reference class, would, no doubt, not only improve information technology schedules but also reduce the political pressures on the project manager.

Originality/value

This research provides a valuable insight into understanding the underlying factors for poor project estimation.
A review of artificial intelligence based risk assessment methods for capturing complexity-risk interdependencies
Authors: Afzal Farman , Yunfei Shao , Nazir Mubasher , Bhatti Saad Mahmood
Published: September 2019

Purpose

In the past decades, artificial intelligence (AI)-based hybrid methods have been increasingly applied in construction risk management practices. The purpose of this paper is to review and compile the current AI methods used for cost-risk assessment in the construction management domain in order to capture complexity and risk interdependencies under high uncertainty.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper makes a content analysis, based on a comprehensive literature review of articles published in high-quality journals from the years 2008 to 2018. Fuzzy hybrid methods, such as fuzzy-analytical network processing, fuzzy-artificial neural network and fuzzy-simulation, have been widely used and dominated in the literature due to their ability to measure the complexity and uncertainty of the system.

Findings

The findings of this review article suggest that due to the limitation of subjective risk data and complex computation, the applications of these AI methods are limited in order to address cost overrun issues under high uncertainty. It is suggested that a hybrid approach of fuzzy logic and extended form of Bayesian belief network (BBN) can be applied in cost-risk assessment to better capture complexity-risk interdependencies under uncertainty.

Research limitations/implications

This study only focuses on the subjective risk assessment methods applied in construction management to overcome cost overrun problem. Therefore, future research can be extended to interpret the input data required to deal with uncertainties, rather than relying solely on subjective judgments in risk assessment analysis.

Practical implications

These results may assist in the management of cost overrun while addressing complexity and uncertainty to avoid chaos in a project. In addition, project managers, experts and practitioners should address the interrelationship between key complexity and risk factors in order to plan risk impact on project cost. The proposed hybrid method of fuzzy logic and BBN can better support the management implications in recent construction risk management practice.

Originality/value

This study addresses the applications of AI-based methods in complex construction projects. A proposed hybrid approach could better address the complexity-risk interdependencies which increase cost uncertainty in project.