bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MYB134-RNAi poplar plants show reduced tannin synthesis in leaves but not roots, and increased susceptibility to oxidative stress
Authors: Gourlay Geraldine , Ma Dawei , Schmidt Axel , Constabel C Peter
Published: July 2020

The importance of the poplar MYB134 gene in controlling condensed tannin (CT) biosynthesis was tested by suppressing its expression using RNA interference (RNAi). MYB134-RNAi plants grew normally but showed reduced accumulation of stress-induced CTs in leaves. RNA-seq analysis indicated that flavonoid- and CT-related genes, as well as additional CT regulators, were strongly and specifically down-regulated by MYB134 suppression. This confirmed that the primary MYB134 target is the leaf flavonoid and CT pathway. Root CT accumulation was not impacted by MYB suppression, suggesting that additional CT regulators are active in roots and emphasizing the complexity of the regulation of CTs in poplar. To test the effect of CT down-regulation on oxidative stress resistance, leaves of MYB134-RNAi and control plants were exposed to the reactive oxygen species generator methyl viologen. MYB134-RNAi leaves sustained significantly more photosystem II damage, as seen in reduced chlorophyll fluorescence, compared with wild-type leaves. MYB134-RNAi leaves also contained more hydrogen peroxide, a reactive oxygen species, compared with the wild type. Our data thus corroborate the hypothesis that CT can act as an antioxidant in vivo and protect against oxidative stress. Overall, MYB134 was shown to be a central player in the regulation of CT synthesis in leaves.
SN 2018zd: an unusual stellar explosion as part of the diverse Type II Supernova landscape
Authors: Zhang Jujia , Wang Xiaofeng , József Vinkó , Zhai Qian , Zhang Tianmeng , Filippenko Alexei V , Brink Thomas G , Zheng WeiKang , Wyrzykowski Łukasz , Mikołajczyk Przemysław , Huang Fang , Rui Liming , Mo Jun , Sai Hanna , Zhang Xinhan , Wang Huijuan , DerKacy James M , Baron Eddie , Sárneczky K , Bódi A , Csörnyei G , Hanyecz O , Ignácz B , Kalup Cs , Kriskovics L , Könyves-Tóth R , Ordasi A , Pál A , Sódor Á , Szakáts R , Vida K , Zsidi G
Published: July 2020

We present extensive observations of SN 2018zd covering the first ∼450 d after the explosion. This SN shows a possible shock-breakout signal ∼3.6 h after the explosion in the unfiltered light curve, and prominent flash-ionization spectral features within the first week. The unusual photospheric temperature rise (rapidly from ∼12 000 to above 18 000 K) within the earliest few days suggests that the ejecta were continuously heated. Both the significant temperature rise and the flash spectral features can be explained by the interaction of the SN ejecta with the massive stellar wind ($0.18^{+0.05}_{-0.10}\, \rm M_{\odot }$), which accounts for the luminous peak ($L_{\rm max} = [1.36\pm 0.63] \times 10^{43}\, \rm erg\, s^{-1}$) of SN 2018zd. The luminous peak and low expansion velocity (v ≈ 3300 km s−1) make SN 2018zd like a member of the LLEV (luminous SNe II with low expansion velocities) events originating due to circumstellar interaction. The relatively fast post-peak decline allows a classification of SN 2018zd as a transition event morphologically linking SNe IIP and SNe IIL. In the radioactive-decay phase, SN 2018zd experienced a significant flux drop and behaved more like a low-luminosity SN IIP both spectroscopically and photometrically. This contrast indicates that circumstellar interaction plays a vital role in modifying the observed light curves of SNe II. Comparing nebular-phase spectra with model predictions suggests that SN 2018zd arose from a star of $\sim 12\, \rm M_{\odot }$. Given the relatively small amount of 56Ni ($0.013\!-\!0.035 \rm M_{\odot }$), the massive stellar wind, and the faint X-ray radiation, the progenitor of SN 2018zd could be a massive asymptotic giant branch star that collapsed owing to electron capture.
Pulsar radio emission mechanism − I. On the amplification of Langmuir waves in the linear regime
Authors: Rahaman Sk Minhajur , Mitra Dipanjan , Melikidze George I
Published: July 2020

Observations suggest that in normal period radio pulsars, coherent curvature radiation is excited within 10${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ of the light cylinder. The coherence is attributed to Langmuir mode instability in a relativistically streaming one-dimensional plasma flow along the open magnetic field lines. In this work, we use a hot plasma treatment to solve the hydrodynamic dispersion relation of Langmuir mode for realistic pulsar parameters. The solution involves three scenarios of two-stream instability, viz. driven by high energy beams, due to longitudinal drift that leads to a separation of electron–positron distribution functions in the secondary plasma and due to cloud–cloud interaction causing spatial overlap of two successive secondary plasma clouds. We find that sufficient amplification can be obtained only for the latter two scenarios. Our analysis shows that longitudinal drift is characterized by high growth rates only for certain multipolar surface field geometry. For these configurations, very high growth rates are obtained starting from a few tens of km from the neutron star surface, which then falls monotonically with increasing distance. For cloud–cloud overlap, growth rates become high starting only after a few hundred km from the surface, which first increases and then decreases with increasing distance. A spatial window of up to around a 1000 km above the neutron star surface has been found where large amplitude Langmuir waves can be excited while the pair plasma is dense enough to account for high brightness temperature.
Sgr A* near-infrared flares from reconnection events in a magnetically arrested disc
Authors: Dexter J , Tchekhovskoy A , Jiménez-Rosales A , Ressler S M , Bauböck M , Dallilar Y , de Zeeuw P T , Eisenhauer F , von Fellenberg S , Gao F , Genzel R , Gillessen S , Habibi M , Ott T , Stadler J , Straub O , Widmann F
Published: July 2020

Large-amplitude Sgr A* near-infrared (NIR) flares result from energy injection into electrons near the black hole event horizon. Astrometry data show continuous rotation of the emission region during bright flares, and corresponding rotation of the linear polarization angle. One broad class of physical flare models invokes magnetic reconnection. Here, we show that such a scenario can arise in a general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulation of a magnetically arrested disc. Saturation of magnetic flux triggers eruption events, where magnetically dominated plasma is expelled from near the horizon and forms a rotating, spiral structure. Dissipation occurs via reconnection at the interface of the magnetically dominated plasma and surrounding fluid. This dissipation is associated with large increases in NIR emission in models of Sgr A*, with durations and amplitudes consistent with the observed flares. Such events occur at roughly the time-scale to re-accumulate the magnetic flux from the inner accretion disc, ≃10 h for Sgr A*. We study NIR observables from one sample event to show that the emission morphology tracks the boundary of the magnetically dominated region. As the region rotates around the black hole, the NIR centroid and linear polarization angle both undergo continuous rotation, similar to the behaviour seen in Sgr A* flares.
[O ii] emitters in MultiDark-Galaxies and DEEP2
Authors: Favole G , Gonzalez-Perez V , Stoppacher D , Orsi Á , Comparat J , Cora S A , Vega-Martínez C A , Stevens A R H , Maraston C , Croton D , Knebe A , Benson A J , Montero-Dorta A D , Padilla N , Prada F , Thomas D
Published: July 2020

We use three semi-analytical models (SAMs) of galaxy formation and evolution run on the same 1 h−1 Gpc MultiDark Planck2 cosmological simulation to investigate the properties of [O ii] emission line galaxies at redshift z ∼ 1. We compare model predictions with different observational data sets, including DEEP2–firefly galaxies with absolute magnitudes. We estimate the [O ii] luminosity ($L{\left[\rm{O\,{\small II}}\right]}$) of our model galaxies using the public code get_ emlines , which ideally assumes as input the instantaneous star formation rates (SFRs). This property is only available in one of the SAMs under consideration, while the others provide average SFRs, as most models do. We study the feasibility of inferring galaxies’    $L{\left[\rm{O\,{\small II}}\right]}$  from average SFRs in post-processing. We find that the result is accurate for model galaxies with dust attenuated   $L{\left[\rm{O\,{\small II}}\right]}$ ≲ 1042.2 erg s−1 ($\lt 5{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ discrepancy). The galaxy properties that correlate the most with the model   $L{\left[\rm{O\,{\small II}}\right]}$ are the SFR and the observed-frame u and g broad-band magnitudes. Such correlations have r-values above 0.64 and a dispersion that varies with   $L{\left[\rm{O\,{\small II}}\right]}$ . We fit these correlations with simple linear relations and use them as proxies for   $L{\left[\rm{O\,{\small II}}\right]}$ , together with an observational conversion that depends on SFR and metallicity. These proxies result in [O ii] luminosity functions and halo occupation distributions with shapes that vary depending on both the model and the method used to derive   $L{\left[\rm{O\,{\small II}}\right]}$ . The amplitude of the clustering of model galaxies with   $L{\left[\rm{O\,{\small II}}\right]}$ >1040.4 erg s−1 remains overall unchanged on scales above 1 $\, h^{-1}$ Mpc, independently of the $L{\left[\rm{O\,{\small II}}\right]}$ computation.
Enhancer RNAs predict enhancer–gene regulatory links and are critical for enhancer function in neuronal systems
Authors: Carullo Nancy V N , Phillips III Robert A , Simon Rhiana C , Soto Salomon A Roman , Hinds Jenna E , Salisbury Aaron J , Revanna Jasmin S , Bunner Kendra D , Ianov Lara , Sultan Faraz A , Savell Katherine E , Gersbach Charles A , Day Jeremy J
Published: July 2020

Genomic enhancer elements regulate gene expression programs important for neuronal fate and function and are implicated in brain disease states. Enhancers undergo bidirectional transcription to generate non-coding enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). However, eRNA function remains controversial. Here, we combined Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using Sequencing (ATAC-Seq) and RNA-Seq datasets from three distinct neuronal culture systems in two activity states, enabling genome-wide enhancer identification and prediction of putative enhancer–gene pairs based on correlation of transcriptional output. Notably, stimulus-dependent enhancer transcription preceded mRNA induction, and CRISPR-based activation of eRNA synthesis increased mRNA at paired genes, functionally validating enhancer–gene predictions. Focusing on enhancers surrounding the Fos gene, we report that targeted eRNA manipulation bidirectionally modulates Fos mRNA, and that Fos eRNAs directly interact with the histone acetyltransferase domain of the enhancer-linked transcriptional co-activator CREB-binding protein (CBP). Together, these results highlight the unique role of eRNAs in neuronal gene regulation and demonstrate that eRNAs can be used to identify putative target genes.
Magnesium to prevent kidney disease–associated vascular calcification: crystal clear?
Authors: ter Braake Anique D , Vervloet Marc G , de Baaij Jeroen H F , Hoenderop Joost G J
Published: July 2020

Vascular calcification is a prognostic marker for cardiovascular mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. In these patients, magnesium balance is disturbed, mainly due to limited ultrafiltration of this mineral, changes in dietary intake and the use of diuretics. Observational studies in dialysis patients report that a higher blood magnesium concentration is associated with reduced risk to develop vascular calcification. Magnesium prevents osteogenic vascular smooth muscle cell transdifferentiation in in vitro and in vivo models. In addition, recent studies show that magnesium prevents calciprotein particle maturation, which may be the mechanism underlying the anti-calcification properties of magnesium. Magnesium is an essential protective factor in the calcification milieu, which helps to restore the mineral-buffering system that is overwhelmed by phosphate in CKD patients. The recognition that magnesium is a modifier of calciprotein particle maturation and mineralization of the extracellular matrix renders it a promising novel clinical tool to treat vascular calcification in CKD. Consequently, the optimal serum magnesium concentration for patients with CKD may be higher than in the general population.
全谷物燕麦和大麦及其可溶性膳食纤维对促进心脏健康、改善血糖和调节肠道菌群作用的新进展
Authors: Tosh Susan M , Bordenave Nicolas
Published: July 2020

本综述的目标是回顾食用全谷物燕麦、大麦及b-葡聚糖降低冠心 病、2 型糖尿病和其他慢性非传染性疾病风险的主要机制。它们主要 是通过可溶性膳食纤维和分子更小的生物活性物质，如燕麦和大麦中 的酚类化合物来实现上述生理作用。这些生物小分子有助于降低血清 低密度脂蛋白胆固醇，降低餐后血糖，调节肠道菌群。在本篇综述中， 探讨了b-葡聚糖对肠内容物黏度变化的影响，以及加工条件对b-葡聚 糖结构和理化特性的影响
Engaging Differences: How Socially Diverse Organizations Can Mobilize Their Resources More Effectively
Authors: Fulton Brad R
Published: July 2020

Diversity is a goal for many organizations, yet it is not always connected to improved performance. This study advances diversity-performance research by examining the effect of engaging social differences. The analysis uses data from a national study of organizations containing information on the race, gender, class, and religion of each organization’s leaders as well as information on the type and content of interactions occurring among them. The data also contain multiple measures of organizational output, specifically the organization’s performance in forming alliances, developing strategies, organizing constituents, and mobilizing people. The analysis focuses on organizations with a diverse leadership team, examining the teams’ social interactions to assess whether engaging members’ social differences is associated with better performance. Additionally, qualitative data illustrate how engaging social differences impacts organizational outcomes. The study finds that teams whose members regularly participate in bridging cultural activities and discuss their social differences achieve greater output. Overall, this study indicates that an organization’s ability to realize the performance benefits of having a diverse leadership team is related to how the leaders interact with each other. The findings suggest that diverse organizations can improve their performance by ensuring that their members interact in ways that engage their social differences.
III Middle English
Authors: Ash-Irisarri Kate , Atkinson Laurie , Bateman Mary , Black Daisy , Dow Anna , Greene Darragh , Grossman Joel , Lazikani Ayoush , Pascual Rafael J , Pattwell Niamh , Perry R D , Sawyer Daniel , Wolf Johannes
Published: July 2020

This chapter has 14 sections: 1. General and Miscellaneous; 2. Theory; 3. Manuscript and Technical Studies; 4. Religious Prose; 5. Secular Prose; 6. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, Patience, and Cleanness; 7. Piers Plowman; 8. Gower; 9. Older Scots; 10. Drama; 11. Secular Verse; 12. Religious Verse; 13. Romance: Metrical, Alliterative, Prose; 14. Early Middle English. Section 1 is by Mary Bateman; section 2 is by R.D. Perry; section 3 is by Daniel Sawyer; section 4 is by Niamh Pattwell; section 5 is by Johannes Wolf; section 6 is by Rafael J. Pascual; section 7 is by Joel Grossman; section 8 is by Laurie Atkinson; section 9 is by Kate Ash-Irisarri; section 10 is by Daisy Black; section 11 is by Darragh Greene; sections 12 and 14 are by Ayoush Lazikani; section 13 is by Anna Dow, with contributions from Mary Bateman in section 13(a).
Synergistic Action of Commercially Available Fungicides for Protecting Wheat from Common Root Rot Caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana in China
Authors: Wei Xuejun , Xu Zihang , Zhang Na , Yang Wenxiang , Liu Daqun , Ma Lisong
Published: July 2020

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) common root rot (CRR) caused by predominant fungal pathogen Bipolaris sorokiniana occurs in all wheat-growing regions worldwide and is difficult to control. In this study, the efficacy of eight fungicides against Bipolaris sorokiniana was examined in in vitro assays, and we determined that the combined application of two fungicides significantly inhibits the growth of fungal mycelium. Half of the maximal effective concentration of a mixture containing fludioxonil and difenoconazole in the ratio 1:4 was 0.0372 mg/liter, and the cotoxicity coefficient was 160.14. Under an environmentally controlled pot assay, seed treatment with the mixture of fludioxonil and difenoconazole in the 1:4 ratio demonstrated the best control efficiency at seedling and adult stages, respectively. The best synergistic mixture on seed treatment was assessed in a 2-year field experiment at Hebei, China. The best control efficacy achieved at the seedling and adult stages was 82.65% and 68.48%, respectively. Overall, the in vitro mycelial growth inhibition assay and controlled-environment and field studies indicated that the synergistic action of a mixture of fludioxonil and difenoconazole provides effective control against wheat CRR. These findings highlight the potential application of the fungicide combination for controlling CRR and reducing the selection pressure on fungal pathogens by lessening the use of various fungicides in the field.
Clinical Evaluation of a High-fidelity Upper Arm Cuff to Measure Arterial Blood Pressure during Noncardiac Surgery
Authors: Briegel Josef , Bähner Torsten , Kreitmeier Alois , Conter Philippe , Fraccaroli Luca , Meidert Agnes S. , Tholl Martin , Papadakis Georg , Deunert Aliki , Bauer Andreas , Hoeft Andreas , Pfeiffer Ulrich J.
Published: July 2020

Background

In most patients having noncardiac surgery, blood pressure is measured with the oscillometric upper arm cuff method. Although the method is noninvasive and practical, it is known to overestimate intraarterial pressure in hypotension and to underestimate it in hypertension. A high-fidelity upper arm cuff incorporating a hydraulic sensor pad was recently developed. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether noninvasive blood pressure measurements with the new high-fidelity cuff correspond to invasive measurements with a femoral artery catheter, especially at low blood pressure.

Methods

Simultaneous measurements of blood pressure recorded from a femoral arterial catheter and from the high-fidelity upper arm cuff were compared in 110 patients having major abdominal surgery or neurosurgery.

Results

550 pairs of blood pressure measurements (5 pairs per patient) were considered for analysis. For mean arterial pressure measurements, the average bias was 0 mmHg, and the precision was 3 mmHg. The Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.96 (P < 0.0001; 95% CI, 0.96 to 0.97), and the percentage error was 9%. Error grid analysis showed that the proportions of mean arterial pressure measurements done with the high-fidelity cuff method were 98.4% in zone A (no risk), 1.6% in zone B (low risk) and 0% in zones C, D, and E (moderate, significant, and dangerous risk, respectively). The high-fidelity cuff method detected mean arterial pressure values less than 65 mmHg with a sensitivity of 84% (95% CI, 74 to 92%) and a specificity of 97% (95% CI, 95% to 98%). To detect changes in mean arterial pressure of more than 5 mmHg, the concordance rate between the two methods was 99.7%. Comparable accuracy and precision were observed for systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements.

Conclusions

The new high-fidelity upper arm cuff method met the current international standards in terms of accuracy and precision. It was also very accurate to track changes in blood pressure and reliably detect severe hypotension during noncardiac surgery.

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Knee Dislocations in the Morbidly Obese Patient
Authors: Smith Patrick J. , Azar Frederick M.
Published: July 2020

Ultra-low-velocity knee dislocations are historically rare but increasingly common events. They occur most frequently in obese, morbidly obese, and super obese patients during everyday activities, but they can be as severe or more severe than high-velocity knee dislocations. Ultra-low-velocity knee dislocations frequently are associated with neurovascular injury and other complications. Diagnosis, early reduction, and identification and treatment of vascular injuries are critical to reducing the risk of limb ischemia and possibly amputation. Given the size of the limb, maintenance of reduction in these patients almost always requires external fixation. Although surgery on morbidly obese patients may be technically challenging, surgical reconstruction leads to improved subjective and objective results and is recommended.
Combined ACL-PCL-Medial and Lateral Side Injuries (Global Laxity)
Authors: Fanelli Gregory C. , Edson Craig J.
Published: July 2020

The multiple ligament injured knee is a complex problem in orthopedic surgery. These injuries may or may not present as acute knee dislocations, and careful assessment of the extremity vascular and neurological status is essential because of the possibility of arterial and/or venous compromise, and nerve injury. These complex injuries require a systematic approach to evaluation and treatment. Physical examination and imaging studies enable the surgeon to make a correct diagnosis and formulate a treatment plan. Knee stability is improved postoperatively when evaluated with knee ligament rating scales, arthrometer testing, and stress radiographic analysis. Surgical timing depends upon the injured ligaments, vascular status of the extremity, reduction stability, and the overall health of the patient. The use of allograft tissue is preferred because of the strength of these large grafts, and the absence of donor site morbidity.
Surgical Treatment of Combined ACL PCL Medial Side Injuries
Authors: Duethman Nicholas C. , Martin R. Kyle , Krych Aaron J. , Stuart Michael J. , Levy Bruce A.
Published: July 2020

The multiple ligament knee injury involving the medial collateral ligament, anterior cruciate ligament, and posterior cruciate ligament is typically the result of a high-energy trauma or knee dislocation event. Optimal treatment strategies are debated, specifically in regard to timing of surgery, reconstruction/repair techniques, and postoperative protocols. This review details the stepwise treatment of these complex patients from diagnosis to postoperative rehabilitation and summarizes the current literature.
Translation of EU Food Law and Nutrient Reference Values Into Practice
Authors: Kersting Mathilde , Kalhoff Hermann , Voss Susanne , Jansen Kathrin , Lücke Thomas
Published: July 2020

Objectives:

European dietary regulations affect national dietary guidelines for child nutrition. The update of the German Dietary Scheme for the first year of life is used to examine the translation of European nutrient references into food‐based guidelines while maintaining traditional habits.

Methods:

Within the Dietary Scheme, intake of energy and nutrients was calculated in the complementary feeding period for each of the 3 daily recommended complementary meals (a vegetable‐potato‐meat meal, a milk‐cereal meal, a cereal‐fruit meal) in addition to the daily liquid‐milk servings (breast milk or follow‐on formula). Pureed‐home‐made complementary meals were assumed. The adequacy of nutrient intake was evaluated by comparison with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Dietary Reference Values. Macronutrient content of meals was compared to the European complementary food directive.

Results:

Daily intake of most nutrients following the scheme was well in line with EFSA values, whereas the commonly ‘critical’ nutrients iron and iodine remained far below EFSA values. Substituting breast milk or whole cow's milk with follow‐on formula had only a small impact on nutrient supply. Although the different nutrient profiles of meals were not fully in line with European regulations, they add up to an overall balanced daily diet.

Conclusions:

Taken together, European dietary reference values for energy and nutrients can mostly be met by the modular system of the Dietary Scheme as a total diet concept for infant nutrition in Germany. The different proposed meals generally agree with EU regulations for complementary food.
Does Combined Multichannel Intraluminal Impedance and pH (MII-pH) Testing Improve Clinical Outcomes in Children With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease?
Authors: Lee Adrian L.H. , Varjavandi Vincent , Lemberg Daniel A. , Ooi Chee Y. , Gupta Nitin , Krishnan Usha
Published: July 2020

Objectives:

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of combined multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH (MII-pH) testing in clinical management of children with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by exploring the impact of treatment changes made based on MII-pH testing results on symptoms and quality of life outcomes.

Methods:

All patients (<18 years) referred to the Sydney Children's Hospital for MII-pH testing were recruited. Patients were classified by acid suppression therapy (AST) status (on AST and off AST) and changes in medical and surgical management were evaluated. Validated questionnaires (Pediatric Gastroesophageal Symptom and Quality of Life Questionnaire and Infant Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire Revised) were administered at baseline at the time of MII-pH testing, and 4 weeks after treatment changes were made and questionnaire scores were compared.

Results:

Of the 45 patients recruited, 24 patients (53.3%) were off AST and 21 patients (46.7%) were on AST. MII-pH testing led to medication changes in 30 patients (66.7%). This included 15 of 24 (62.5%) in those off AST and 15 of 21 (71.4%) in those on AST. More than 98% of patients who had treatment changes showed a significant improvement in both symptoms and quality of life scores.

Conclusions:

Our study is one of the first pediatric studies to evaluate the clinical validity of MII-pH testing in the pediatric population referred for suspected GERD, and its ability in guiding clinical management. Our study has shown that treatment decisions guided by and based on results of MII-pH testing led to a significant improvement in symptoms and quality of life in infants and children with GERD.
Clinical Remission and Psychological Management are Major Issues for the Quality of Life in Pediatric Crohn Disease
Authors: Gourdonneau Anne , Bruneau Léa , Ruemmele Frank M. , Norsa Lorenzo , Takeda Armelle , Le Gall Catherine , Clouzeau Haude , Rebouissoux Laurent , Dabadie Alain , Bridoux‐Henno Laure , Rebeuh Julie , Thomassin Nadège , Viala Jérôme , Willot Stéphanie , Breton Anne , Coopman Stéphanie , Spyckerelle Claire , Languepin Jeanne , Bertrand Valérie , Mouterde Olivier , Degas Vanessa , Bonneton Marjorie , Lemale Julie , Destombe Sylvie , Billiemaz Kareen , Caron Nicolas , Borderon Corinne , Dupont Claire , Triolo Valérie , Jobert Agathe , Lamireau Thierry , Enaud Raphaël
Published: July 2020

Objectives:

Crohn disease (CD) can affect patient's quality of life (QOL) with physical, social, and psychological impacts. This study aimed to investigate the QOL of children with CD and its relationship with patient and disease characteristics.

Methods:

Children ages from 10 to 17 years with diagnosed CD for more than 6 months were eligible to this cross‐sectional study conducted in 35 French pediatric centers. QOL was assessed by the IMPACT‐III questionnaire. Patient and disease characteristics were collected.

Results:

A total of 218 children (42% of girls) were included at a median age of 14 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 13‐‐16). Median duration of CD was 3.2 years (IQR: 1.7–5.1) and 63% of children were in clinical remission assessed by wPCDAI. Total IMPACT‐III score was 62.8 (±11.0). The lowest score was in “emotional functioning” subdomain (mean: 42.8 ± 11.2). Clinical remission was the main independent factor associated with QOL of children with CD (5.74 points higher compared with those “with active disease”, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.77‐‐8.70, P < 0.001). Age of patient at the evaluation was found negatively correlated with QOL (−0.76 per year, 95% CI: −1.47 to −0.06, P = 0.009). Presence of psychological disorders was associated with a lower QOL (−9.6 points lower to those without, 95% CI: −13.34 to −5.86, P < 0.0001). Total IMPACT‐III and its subdomains scores were not related to sex, disease duration, or treatments.

Conclusions:

These results not only confirm that clinical remission is a major issue for the QOL of patients, but also highlights the importance of psychological care.
Assessing Diet Quality in a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Cohort of Low-income Toddlers
Authors: Kay Melissa C. , Silver Heidi J. , Yin H. Shonna , Flower Kori B. , Rothman Russell L. , Sanders Lee M. , Delamater Alan M. , Perrin Eliana M.
Published: July 2020

Background:

Low-income racially and ethnically diverse children are at higher risk for obesity compared with their counterparts; yet, few studies have assessed their diet quality.

Objective:

The aim of the study was to evaluate the diet quality of a racially and ethnically diverse cohort of 2-year-olds using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2010.

Methods:

We used 24-hour dietary recall data from caregivers of toddlers (24–34 months) at 4 pediatric resident clinics that participated in the Greenlight Study to calculate compliance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) using total HEI score (range 0–100) and 12 component scores.

Results:

Participants (n = 231) were mostly Hispanic (57%) or non-Hispanic black (27%) and from low-income families. Mean HEI-2010 score was 62.8 (standard deviation [SD] 10.5). Though not significant, Hispanics had the highest HEI score. Toddlers of caregivers without obesity, older than 35 years and born outside the United States had higher HEI scores. Most had high HEI component scores for dairy, fruit, and protein foods, but few achieved maximum scores, particularly for whole grains (13%), vegetables (10%), and fatty acid ratio (7%).

Conclusions:

Despite scores reflective of DGA recommendations for fruit, dairy and protein foods, toddlers in this diverse sample had low quality diets as measured by the HEI, driven largely by low component scores for whole grains, vegetables, and ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids.
A Scoping Review of the Impact of Family Presence on Pediatric Resuscitation Team Members*
Authors: Deacon Amanda , O’Neill Thomas A. , Gilfoyle Elaine
Published: July 2020

Objectives:

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify the extent, range, and nature of information currently available on family presence during pediatric resuscitation on resuscitation team members and their performance.

Data Sources:

A comprehensive search strategy was created and executed by identifying primary keywords in central articles, pretesting key words and combinations of them in databases to confirm articles returned fell within the search parameters, and checking that key articles were returned which confirmed the search strategy was not too narrow.

Study Selection:

Two members of the research team independently conducted relevance screening using predetermined inclusion and exclusion parameters. Titles and abstracts of retrieved articles were reviewed using the set criteria involving. From the refined list of selected articles, full texts of each article were considered for final determination of inclusion.

Data Extraction:

Key items of information were gathered from each article selected using a predefined extraction list. The extracted information was then sorted into themes and relevant issues.

Data Synthesis:

Of the 3,012 studies initially identified, 48 met the inclusion criteria. Themes identified included as follows: 1) attitudes and opinions on family presence during pediatric resuscitation; 2) reasons in support of or against family presence during pediatric resuscitation; 3) education, training, and support; and 4) resuscitation performance and outcomes. Our review of the available information highlighted that the majority of work done to this point has focused heavily on healthcare provider opinions and relied mainly on survey method.

Conclusions:

We propose that future research employ more rigorous research techniques, such as randomized control trials, place greater emphasis on healthcare provider behaviors and clinical outcomes during family presence during pediatric resuscitation, and increase exploration into the education and training needs of healthcare providers who already currently manage family presence during pediatric resuscitation.
Reaching a Different Population of MSM in West Africa With the Integration of PrEP Into a Comprehensive Prevention Package (CohMSM-PrEP ANRS 12369—Expertise France)
Authors: Eubanks August , Dembélé Keita Bintou , Anoma Camille , Dah Ter T.E. , Mensah Ephrem , Maradan Gwenaëlle , Bourrelly Michel , Mora Marion , Riegel Lucas , Rojas Castro Daniela , Yaya Issifou , Spire Bruno , Laurent Christian , Sagaon-Teyssier Luis ,   the CohMSM-PrEP Study Group
Published: July 2020

Background:

In West Africa, few HIV services target men who have sex with men (MSM). In 2015, the interventional cohort CohMSM started offering a community-based prevention package for MSM. Participants expressed interest in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and their eligibility was demonstrated. In 2017, PrEP was added to services already offered as part of a new program, CohMSM-PrEP, which recruited CohMSM participants and new participants. We aimed to determine whether the introduction of PrEP as an additional prevention tool influenced the type of participant signing up for CohMSM-PrEP.

Methods:

CohMSM-PrEP recruited HIV-negative MSM in community-based clinics in Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo. Quarterly follow-up included free clinical examinations, PrEP, HIV/sexually transmitted infection screening, peer education, condoms, and lubricants. Sociobehavioral data were collected every 3 months using face-to-face questionnaires. Our outcome was participant type: new participants vs CohMSM participants. Logistic regression was performed to identify the factors associated with being a new participant.

Results:

Of the 524 MSM included in CohMSM-PrEP, 41% were new participants. After adjustment, multivariate analysis showed they were more socioeconomically disadvantaged with financial insecurity, social isolation—including isolation within the MSM community—and riskier sexual practices.

Conclusion:

The introduction of PrEP as an additional prevention tool and the use of peer-based outreach services over time influenced the type of participant signing up for a community-based HIV prevention cohort in West Africa. Adding these elements to existing interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa could be the key to reaching MSM marginalized from HIV prevention and care programs.
Depression Is a Major Determinant of Functional Capacity in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Isnardi Carolina A. , Capelusnik Dafne , Schneeberger Emilce Edith , Bazzarelli Marcela , Berloco Laura , Blanco Eliana , Benítez Cristian A. , Luján Benavidez Federico , Scarafia Santiago , Lázaro María A. , Pérez Alamino Rodolfo , Colombres Francisco , Kohan María P. , Sosa Julia , Gonzalez Lucero Luciana , Barbaglia Ana L. , Maldonado Ficco Hernán , Citera Gustavo
Published: July 2020

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Argentinean patients and its association with sociodemographic and clinical factors.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional study of consecutive adults with RA. Sociodemographic data, comorbidities, RA disease activity, and current treatment were assessed. The following instruments were used to evaluate quality of life (EQ-5D-3 L [EURO Quality 5-dimension 3 lines], QOL-RA [Quality of Life–Rheumatoid Arthritis]), functional capacity (HAQ-A [Health Assessment Questionnaire–Argentinean version]), and depression (PHQ-9 [Patient Health Questionnaire 9]; scores 5–9: mild, 10–14: moderate, 15–19: moderate-severe, and ≥20: severe depression, a cutoff value ≥10 is diagnostic of major depression).

Results

Two hundred fifty-eight patients were included, with a median disease duration of 9 years (interquartile range, 3.6–16.7 years). The m PHQ-9 score was 6 (interquartile range, 2–12.3 years). The prevalence of major depression was 33.8%. The frequency of mild, moderate, moderate/severe, and severe depression was 66 (25.6%), 42 (16.3%), 27 (10.5%), and 18 (7%), respectively. Patients with major depression had worse functional capacity (HAQ-A: mean ± SD, 1.6 ± 0.8 vs. 0.7 ± 0.7; p < 0.0001), poorer quality of life (QOL-RA: mean ± SD, 5.4 ± 1.8 vs. 7.3 ± 1.6; p < 0.0001), greater pain (visual analog scale: mean ± SD, 56.2 ± 27.5 mm vs. 33.4 ± 25.7 mm; p < 0.0001), higher disease activity (Disease Activity Score in 28 joints: mean ± SD, 4.3 ± 1.4 vs. 3.3 ± 1.3; p < 0.0001), higher frequency of comorbidities (67% vs. 33%; p = 0.017), and lower frequency of physical activity (22% vs. 35%; p = 0.032). In the multivariate analysis, patients with moderate and severe depression had worse functional capacity (odds ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.6–4.3; p < 0.0001) and quality of life (odds ratio, 0.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.5–0.8; p < 0.0001), independently of disease activity.

Conclusions

A third of RA patients in this Argentinean cohort had major depression. In those patients, depression was associated with worst functional capacity and quality of life.
Fluency shaping increases integration of the command-to-execution and the auditory-to-motor pathways in persistent developmental stuttering
Authors: Korzeczek Alexandra , Primaßin Annika , von Gudenberg Alexander Wolff , Dechent Peter , Paulus Walter , Sommer Martin , Neef Nicole E.
Published: July 2020

Fluency-shaping enhances the speech fluency of persons who stutter, yet underlying conditions and neuroplasticity-related mechanisms are largely unknown. While speech production-related brain activity in stuttering is well studied, it is unclear whether therapy repairs networks of altered sensorimotor integration, imprecise neural timing and sequencing, faulty error monitoring, or insufficient speech planning. Here, we tested the impact of one-year fluency-shaping therapy on resting-state fMRI connectivity within sets of brain regions subserving these speech functions. We analyzed resting-state data of 22 patients who participated in a fluency-shaping program, 18 patients not participating in therapy, and 28 fluent control participants, measured one year apart. Improved fluency was accompanied by an increased synchronization within the sensorimotor integration network. Specifically, two connections were strengthened; the left inferior frontal gyrus showed increased connectivity with the precentral gyrus at the representation of the left laryngeal motor cortex, and the left inferior frontal gyrus showed increased connectivity with the right superior temporal gyrus. Thus, therapy-associated neural remediation was based on a strengthened integration of the command-to-execution pathway together with an increased auditory-to-motor coupling. Since we investigated task-free brain activity, we assume that our findings are not biased to network activity involved in compensation but represent long-term focal neuroplasticity effects.
Epitope Prediction of Antigen Protein using Attention-Based LSTM Network
Authors: Noumi Toshiaki , Inoue Seiichi , Fujita Haruka , Sadamitsu Kugatsu , Sakaguchi Makoto , Tenma Akiko , Nakagami Hironori
Published: July 2020

B-cells inducing antigen-specific immune responses in vivo produce large amounts of antigen-specific antibodies by recognizing the subregions (epitope regions) of antigen proteins. They can inhibit their functioning by binding antibodies to antigen proteins. Predicting of epitope regions is beneficial for the design and development of vaccines aimed to induce antigen-specific antibody production. However, prediction accuracy requires improvement. The conventional epitope region prediction methods have focused only on the target sequence in the amino acid sequences of an entire antigen protein and have not thoroughly considered its sequence and features as a whole. In the present paper, we propose a deep learning method based on short-term memory with an attention mechanism to consider the characteristics of a whole antigen protein in addition to the target sequence. The proposed method achieves better accuracy compared with the conventional method in the experimental prediction of epitope regions using the data from the immune epitope database.
An Outpatient Telehealth Elective for Displaced Clinical Learners during the Coronavirus Pandemic
Authors: Weber Alec M. , Dua Anoushka , Chang Kitae , Jupalli Hamsitha , Rizwan Farsha , Chouthai Abhishek , Chen Catherine
Published: July 2020

Introduction

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, medical schools suspended clinical rotations. This displacement of students from the wards has limited experiential learning opportunities. Concurrently, outpatient practices are experiencing reduced volumes of in-person visits and shifting towards virtual healthcare. This transition comes with its own logistical challenges. Here, we discuss a workflow that enabled students to engage in meaningful clinical education while helping the RWJMS outpatient practices implement remote telehealth visits.

Methods

A four-week virtual elective was designed to offer clerkship students the opportunity to participate in virtual telehealth patient encounters. Students were prepared with EMR training and introduced to an outpatient workflow that supports healthcare providers in the ambulatory setting. Patients were consented to telehealth services before encounters with students. All collected clinical information was documented in the EMR, after which students transitioned patients to a virtual Doxy.me video call appointment. Clinical and educational outcomes of students’ participation were evaluated.

Results

Survey results showed students felt well-prepared to initiate patient encounters. They also expressed comfort while engaging with patients virtually during telehealth appointments. Students further identified educational value, citing opportunities to develop patient management plans consistent with in-person clinical experiences. A significant healthcare burden was also alleviated by student involvement. Over 1000 total scheduled appointments were serviced by students who transitioned over 80% of patients into virtual provider waiting rooms.

Discussion

After piloting this elective with rising fourth-year students, pre-clerkship students were also recruited to act in a role normally associated with clinical learners (e.g., elicit patient histories, conduct a review of systems, etc.). An additional telehealth elective is being designed so medical students can contribute to inpatient care without risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. These efforts are designed to allow students to continue with their clinical education during the pandemic.
Quality controlled SARS-CoV-2 duplex procedure to reduce time and scarce molecular biology diagnosis reagents
Authors: Collin Annaelle , Chaboteaux Carole , Fontaine Véronique , Lefèvre Philippe
Published: July 2020

The aim of this study was to provide validated procedures allowing to detect the SARS-CoV-2 and an internal control in a unique one-step duplex RT-qPCR. Two internal controls were tested, targeting either the Schmallenberg virus RNA provided by the NARILIS laboratory (University of Namur) with a HEX-labelled probe or a Diagenode Diagnostics internal control with a Cy5-labelled probe. Our results showed that Ct values of the RT-qPCR duplex assay were even smaller in the optimized working conditions, allowing to use the optimized qPCR conditions in routine diagnosis.
Demographic and clinical differences in patients with positional obstructive sleep apnea and development of a discrimination model
Authors: Lin Shang-Yang , Tsai Cheng-Yu , Liu Wen-Te
Published: July 2020

Purpose

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent disease, and positional OSA (pOSA) is a subgroup whose OSA severity is highly affected by sleeping position. This study investigated differences in demographic and sleep characteristics between patients with and without pOSA and developed a simple discrimination model.

Methods

We reviewed polysomnography records of patients admitted to the Sleep Center at Shuang-Ho Hospital between March 2015 and March 2019. They were categorized into pOSA and non-pOSA groups, and their demographic and sleep characteristics were compared. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to estimate the feasibility of discrimination model.

Results

Of the patients, 33% received diagnoses of pOSA; they had smaller neck circumference and waistline and lower weight, body mass index (BMI), OSA severity, heart rate, and snoring and respiratory-related limb movement indexes but higher sleep efficiency and mean oxygen saturation compared with patients without pOSA. Sleep stage analysis revealed that as severity increased, the proportion of sleep time spent in N2, N3, and rapid eye movement stages decreased, but the proportion of time spent in the N1 stage increased in both populations. Sleep position analysis revealed a higher proportion of sleep time in a supine position among patients with pOSA after adjustment for severity. The corresponding area under the ROC curve of our discrimination model was 0.924.

Conclusions

Demographic and sleep characteristics differed significantly between patients with and without pOSA. Our model uses readily available measurements such as BMI and waistline and can aid physicians in the timely identification of patients with pOSA.

Trial registration number

TMU-JIRB No.: N201911007

Date of registration

2019/11/12
A Versatile Soluble Siglec Scaffold for Sensitive and Quantitative Detection of Glycan Ligands
Authors: Rodrigues Emily , Jung Jaesoo , Park Heajin , Loo Caleb , Soukhtehzari Sepideh , Kitova Elena N. , Mozaneh Fahima , Daskhan Gour , Aghanya Vivian , Sarkar Susmita , Streith Laura , Laurent Chris St. , Julien Jean-Philippe , West Lori J. , Williams Karla C. , Klassen John S. , Macauley Matthew S.
Published: July 2020

Sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectins (Siglecs) are immunomodulatory receptors that are regulated by their glycan ligands. A growing connection between Siglecs and human disease motivates improved methods to detect Siglec ligands. Here, we describe a new versatile set of Siglec-Fc proteins for glycan ligand detection. Enhanced sensitivity and selectivity are enabled through multimerization and avoiding Fc receptors, respectively. Using these Siglec-Fc proteins, Siglec ligands were systemically profiled on healthy and cancerous cells and tissues, revealing many unique patterns. Additional features enable the production of small, homogenous Siglec fragments and development of a quantitative ligand-binding mass spectrometry assay. Using this assay, the ligand specificities of several Siglecs were clarified. For CD33, we demonstrate that it recognizes both α2-3 and α2-6 sialosides in solution and on cells, which has implications for its link to Alzheimer’s disease susceptibility. These soluble Siglecs reveal the abundance of their glycan ligands on host cells as self-associated molecular patterns.