bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra versus Xpert MTB/RIF for diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion: A systematic review and comparative meta-analysis
Authors: Aggarwal Ashutosh Nath , Agarwal Ritesh , Dhooria Sahajal , Prasad Kuruswamy Thurai , Sehgal Inderpaul Singh , Muthu Valliappan
Published: July 2022

Objective

We compared diagnostic accuracy of pleural fluid Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) and Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Ultra) assays for diagnosing tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE), through systematic review and comparative meta-analysis.

Methods

We searched PubMed and Embase databases for publications reporting diagnostic accuracy of Xpert or Ultra for TPE. We used bivariate random-effects modeling to summarize diagnostic accuracy information from individual studies using either mycobacterial culture or composite criteria as reference standard. We performed meta-regression through hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) modeling to evaluate comparative performance of the two tests from studies reporting diagnostic accuracy of both in the same study population.

Results

We retrieved 1097 publications, and included 74 for review. Summary estimates for sensitivity and specificity for Xpert were 0.52 (95% CI 0.43–0.60,I282.1%) and 0.99 (95% CI 0.97–0.99,I285.1%), respectively, using culture-based reference standard; and 0.21 (95% CI 0.17–0.26,I281.5%) and 1.00 (95% CI 0.99–1.00,I237.6%), respectively, using composite reference standard. Summary estimates for sensitivity and specificity for Ultra were 0.68 (95% CI 0.55–0.79,I280.0%) and 0.97 (95% CI 0.97–0.99,I292.1%), respectively, using culture-based reference standard; and 0.47 (95% CI 0.40–0.55,I264.1%) and 0.98 (95% CI 0.95–0.99,I254.8%), respectively, using composite reference standard. HSROC meta-regression yielded relative diagnostic odds ratio of 1.28 (95% CI 0.65–2.50) and 1.80 (95% CI 0.41–7.84) respectively in favor of Ultra, using culture and composite criteria as reference standard.

Conclusion

Ultra provides superior diagnostic accuracy over Xpert for diagnosing TPE, mainly because of its higher sensitivity.
An improved pairing-free certificateless aggregate signature scheme for healthcare wireless medical sensor networks
Authors: Zhou Lifeng , Yin Xinchun
Published: July 2022

In healthcare wireless medical sensor networks (HWMSNs), the medical sensor nodes are employed to collect medical data which is transmitted to doctors for diagnosis and treatment. In HWMSNs, medical data is vulnerable to various attacks through public channels. In addition, leakage of patients’ information happens frequently. Hence, secure communication and privacy preservation are major concerns in HWMSNs. To solve the above issues, Zhan et al. put forward a pairing-free certificateless aggregate signature (PF-CLAS) scheme. However, according to our cryptanalysis, the malicious medical sensor node (MSNi) can generate the forged signature by replacing the public key in the PF-CLAS scheme. Hence, to address this security flaw, we design the improved PF-CLAS scheme that can achieve unforgeability, anonymity, and traceability. Since we have changed the construction of the partial private key, the improved PF-CLAS scheme can resist Type I and Type II attacks under the Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm assumption. In terms of the performance evaluation, the proposed scheme outperforms related CLAS schemes, which is more suitable for HWMSNs environments.
Increasing risk of mortality across the spectrum of aortic stenosis is independent of comorbidity & treatment: An international, parallel cohort study of 248,464 patients
Authors: Strom Jordan B. , Playford David , Stewart Simon , Li Stephanie , Shen Changyu , Xu Jiaman , Strange Geoff
Published: July 2022

Background

While large scientific and medical evidence has demonstrated the increased risk of death and cardiovascular mortality in patients with severe AS, the independent contribution of moderate AS to an increased risk of death remains uncertain.

Methods and findings

We conducted a multicenter study including a cohort of 30,865 US patients and another cohort of 217,599 Australian patients with equivalent echocardiographic and aortic valve profiling over the same period (2003–2017). During a median 5.2 years (US) and 4.4 years (Australian) follow-up, the risk of death (hazard ratio) of patients with moderate AS as compared to those without AS was 1.66 (95%CI 1.52–1.80) and 1.37 (95%CI 1.34–1.41) in the US and Australian cohorts, even after adjusting this analysis for age and sex. This increased risk of death and cardiovascular mortality (odds ratio) in patients with moderate AS was consistent also across subgroups of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (subgroups of LVEF < 40%, 40–49%, 50–59%, and ≥ 60%: OR of moderate AS for CV mortality 2.0 [95%CI 1.4–2.7], 1.7 [95%CI 1.2–2.4], 1.5 [95%CI 1.1–1.9], and 1.4 [95%CI 1.2–1.6], respectively).

Conclusions

The findings of this study suggest that patients with moderate AS have a potential increased risk of death and cardiovascular mortality, regardless of age, sex, and LVEF. Hence, these data suggest the need to develop specific strategies to detect and treat individuals with moderate AS.
Using natural language processing to identify acute care patients who lack advance directives, decisional capacity, and surrogate decision makers
Authors: Song Jiyoun , Topaz Maxim , Landau Aviv Y. , Klitzman Robert , Shang Jingjing , Stone Patricia , McDonald Margaret , Cohen Bevin
Published: July 2022

The prevalence of patients who are Incapacitated with No Evident Advance Directives or Surrogates (INEADS) remains unknown because such data are not routinely captured in structured electronic health records. This study sought to develop and validate a natural language processing (NLP) algorithm to identify information related to being INEADS from clinical notes. We used a publicly available dataset of critical care patients from 2001 through 2012 at a United States academic medical center, which contained 418,393 relevant clinical notes for 23,904 adult admissions. We developed 17 subcategories indicating reduced or elevated potential for being INEADS, and created a vocabulary of terms and expressions within each. We used an NLP application to create a language model and expand these vocabularies. The NLP algorithm was validated against gold standard manual review of 300 notes and showed good performance overall (F-score = 0.83). More than 80% of admissions had notes containing information in at least one subcategory. Thirty percent (n = 7,134) contained at least one of five social subcategories indicating elevated potential for being INEADS, and <1% (n = 81) contained at least four, which we classified as high likelihood of being INEADS. Among these, n = 8 admissions had no subcategory indicating reduced likelihood of being INEADS, and appeared to meet the definition of INEADS following manual review. Among the remaining n = 73 who had at least one subcategory indicating reduced likelihood of being INEADS, manual review of a 10% sample showed that most did not appear to be INEADS. Compared with the full cohort, the high likelihood group was significantly more likely to die during hospitalization and within four years, to have Medicaid, to have an emergency admission, and to be male. This investigation demonstrates potential for NLP to identify INEADS patients, and may inform interventions to enhance advance care planning for patients who lack social support.
Contact tracing of COVID-19 in Karnataka, India: Superspreading and determinants of infectiousness and symptomatic infection
Authors: Gupta Mohak , Parameswaran Giridara G. , Sra Manraj S. , Mohanta Rishika , Patel Devarsh , Gupta Amulya , Bansal Bhavik , Jain Vardhmaan , Mazumder Archisman , Arora Mehak , Aggarwal Nishant , Bhatnagar Tarun , Akhtar Jawaid , Pandey Pankaj , Ravi Vasanthapuram , Babu Giridhara R.
Published: July 2022

Background

India has experienced the second largest outbreak of COVID-19 globally, yet there is a paucity of studies analysing contact tracing data in the region which can optimise public health interventions (PHI’s).

Methods

We analysed contact tracing data from Karnataka, India between 9 March and 21 July 2020. We estimated metrics of transmission including the reproduction number (R), overdispersion (k), secondary attack rate (SAR), and serial interval. R and k were jointly estimated using a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach. We studied determinants of risk of further transmission and risk of being symptomatic using Poisson regression models.

Findings

Up to 21 July 2020, we found 111 index cases that crossed the super-spreading threshold of ≥8 secondary cases. Among 956 confirmed traced cases, 8.7% of index cases had 14.4% of contacts but caused 80% of all secondary cases. Among 16715 contacts, overall SAR was 3.6% [95% CI, 3.4–3.9] and symptomatic cases were more infectious than asymptomatic cases (SAR 7.7% vs 2.0%; aRR 3.63 [3.04–4.34]). As compared to infectors aged 19–44 years, children were less infectious (aRR 0.21 [0.07–0.66] for 0–5 years and 0.47 [0.32–0.68] for 6–18 years). Infectors who were confirmed ≥4 days after symptom onset were associated with higher infectiousness (aRR 3.01 [2.11–4.31]). As compared to asymptomatic cases, symptomatic cases were 8.16 [3.29–20.24] times more likely to cause symptomatic infection in their secondary cases. Serial interval had a mean of 5.4 [4.4–6.4] days, and case fatality rate was 2.5% [2.4–2.7] which increased with age.

Conclusion

We found significant heterogeneity in the individual-level transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 which could not be explained by the degree of heterogeneity in the underlying number of contacts. To strengthen contact tracing in over-dispersed outbreaks, testing and tracing delays should be minimised and retrospective contact tracing should be implemented. Targeted measures to reduce potential superspreading events should be implemented. Interventions aimed at children might have a relatively small impact on reducing transmission owing to their low symptomaticity and infectivity. We propose that symptomatic cases could cause a snowballing effect on clinical severity and infectiousness across transmission generations; further studies are needed to confirm this finding.
GenomeBits insight into omicron and delta variants of coronavirus pathogen
Authors: Canessa Enrique , Tenze Livio
Published: July 2022

We apply the new GenomeBits method to uncover underlying genomic features of omicron and delta coronavirus variants. This is a statistical algorithm whose salient feature is to map the nucleotide bases into a finite alternating (±) sum series of distributed terms of binary (0,1) indicators. We show how by this method, distinctive signals can be uncovered out of the intrinsic data organization of amino acid progressions along their base positions. Results reveal a sort of ‘ordered’ (or constant) to ‘disordered’ (or peaked) transition around the coronavirus S-spike protein region. Together with our previous results for past variants of coronavirus: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Epsilon and Eta, we conclude that the mapping into GenomeBits strands of omicron and delta variants can help to characterize mutant pathogens.
Development of an aerosol intervention for COVID-19 disease: Tolerability of soluble ACE2 (APN01) administered via nebulizer
Authors: Shoemaker Robert H. , Panettieri Reynold A. , Libutti Steven K. , Hochster Howard S. , Watts Norman R. , Wingfield Paul T. , Starkl Philipp , Pimenov Lisabeth , Gawish Riem , Hladik Anastasiya , Knapp Sylvia , Boring Daniel , White Jonathan M. , Lawrence Quentin , Boone Jeremy , Marshall Jason D. , Matthews Rebecca L. , Cholewa Brian D. , Richig Jeffrey W. , Chen Ben T. , McCormick David L. , Gugensberger Romana , Höller Sonja , Penninger Josef M. , Wirnsberger Gerald
Published: July 2022

As ACE2 is the critical SARS-CoV-2 receptor, we hypothesized that aerosol administration of clinical grade soluble human recombinant ACE2 (APN01) will neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in the airways, limit spread of infection in the lung, and mitigate lung damage caused by deregulated signaling in the renin-angiotensin (RAS) and Kinin pathways. Here, after demonstrating in vitro neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 by APN01, and after obtaining preliminary evidence of its tolerability and preventive efficacy in a mouse model, we pursued development of an aerosol formulation. As a prerequisite to a clinical trial, we evaluated both virus binding activity and enzymatic activity for cleavage of Ang II following aerosolization. We report successful aerosolization for APN01, retaining viral binding as well as catalytic RAS activity. Dose range-finding and IND-enabling repeat-dose aerosol toxicology testing were conducted in dogs. Twice daily aerosol administration for two weeks at the maximum feasible concentration revealed no notable toxicities. Based on these results, a Phase I clinical trial in healthy volunteers has now been initiated (NCT05065645), with subsequent Phase II testing planned for individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Ragging as an expression of power in a deeply divided society; a qualitative study on students perceptions on the phenomenon of ragging at a Sri Lankan university
Authors: Wickramasinghe Ayanthi , Axemo Pia , Essén Birgitta , Trenholm Jill
Published: July 2022

Initiation rituals such as hazing, bullying, and ragging, as it is referred to in Sri Lanka, is a global phenomenon and has become a serious public health problem. Students are bullied and harassed by senior students causing them to suffer severe adverse consequences including depression, increased university dropouts and suicide. Although this has led to a significant burden on the country, research on ragging is scarce. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of students concerning the phenomenon of ragging and to understand how ragging affects student life and culture at the University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. This paper is based on 17 focus group discussions with male and female students of Sinhalese, Tamil, and Muslim ethnicity. Thematic analysis was employed to navigate through the theoretical lenses of structural violence, intersectionality, and social dominance. The findings revealed how students perceived ragging differently; as an expression of power to initiate order and as a way to express dissatisfaction towards social inequalities occurring within the larger society or to facilitate bonds between university students. Students trivialized violence related to ragging and accepted it as a part of the university subculture despite being aware of the dire consequences. There was a described cyclical nature to ragging whereby victims become perpetrators. The student’s perspective appeared to be a missed opportunity in finding feasible solutions to a societal problem that must take all parties involved, into consideration.
Radiation therapy enhances systemic antitumor efficacy in PD-L1 therapy regardless of sequence of radiation in murine osteosarcoma
Authors: Katsuki Shohei , Takahashi Yutaka , Tamari Keisuke , Minami Kazumasa , Takenaka Wataru , Ibuki Yoriko , Yamamoto Junya , Tatekawa Shotaro , Hayashi Kazuhiko , Seo Yuji , Isohashi Fumiaki , Ogawa Kazuhiko , Koizumi Masahiko
Published: July 2022

Recent studies demonstrate that immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) increases the chances of the abscopal effect, an anti-tumor effect outside the radiation field in radiation therapy. However, the optimal sequence between radiation and ICB remains unclear. To investigate the impact of sequence of radiation in anti-PD-L1 antibody (P1) therapy on immune microenvironments and antitumor efficacies in local and abscopal tumors, metastatic LM8 osteosarcoma cells were inoculated into both legs of C3H mice. For irradiation, only one side leg was irradiated at 10 Gy. Then mice were divided into four groups: administrated anti-PD-L1 antibody three times (P1 monotherapy), receiving radiation 3 days prior to P1 therapy (P1+pre-Rad), and receiving concurrent radiation with P1 therapy (P1+conc-Rad). Thereafter, tumor immune microenvironment and tumor volume changes were analyzed in irradiated and unirradiated tumors. The P1+pre-Rad regimen increased the proportion of CD8+ programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)+ granzyme B (GzmB)+ reinvigorated T cells and decreased the proportion of CD8+ PD-1+ GzmB- exhausted T cells than P1+conc-Rad regimen in unirradiated tumors. Combination regimens suppressed tumor growth in irradiated tumors compared with that in P1 monotherapy. In both irradiated and unirradiated tumors, significant tumor growth suppression and prolonged overall survival were observed under both combination treatment regimens compared with P1 monotherapy. However, no distinct differences in unirradiated tumor volume and survival were observed between P1+pre-Rad and P1+conc-Rad groups. These results suggest that local irradiation is necessary to improve systemic treatment efficacy in P1 therapy regardless of sequence of local irradiation.
The Internal–External Locus of Control Short Scale–4 (IE-4): A comprehensive validation of the English-language adaptation
Authors: Nießen Désirée , Schmidt Isabelle , Groskurth Katharina , Rammstedt Beatrice , Lechner Clemens M.
Published: July 2022

The Internal–External Locus of Control Short Scale–4 (IE-4) measures two dimensions of the personality trait locus of control with two items each. IE-4 was originally developed and validated in German and later translated into English. In the present study, we assessed the psychometric properties (i.e., objectivity, reliability, validity) of the English-language IE-4, compared these psychometric properties with those of the German-language source version, and tested measurement invariance across both language versions. Using heterogeneous quota samples from the UK and Germany, we find that the English-language adaptation has satisfactory reliability and plausible correlations with 11 external variables (e.g., general self-efficacy, self-esteem, impulsive behavior, Emotional Stability), which are comparable with those of the German-language source version. Moreover, metric measurement invariance of the scale holds when comparing the UK and Germany, implying the comparability of correlations based on the latent factors across the two nations. As an ultra-short scale (completion time < 30 s), IE-4 lends itself particularly to the assessment of locus of control in survey contexts in which assessment time or questionnaire space are limited. It can be applied in a variety of research disciplines, such as psychology, sociology, or economics.
Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 are on the increase against the acquired immunity
Authors: Konishi Tomokazu
Published: July 2022

Monovalent vaccines using mRNA or adenoviruses have provided substantial protection against the COVID-19 pandemic in many countries. However, viral mutations have hampered the efficacy of this approach. The Omicron variant, which appeared in Dec 2021, has caused a pandemic that has exerted pressure on the healthcare system worldwide. The COVID-19 vaccines are not very effective against this variant, resulting in an increased rate of infection and mortality. Owing to the rapidly increasing number of patients, few countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan, which aimed at zero-COVID cases, have discontinued their attempts to contain the spread of infection by imposing strict lockdowns, for example. Therefore, the administration of booster vaccinations has been initiated; however, there are concerns about their effectiveness, sustainability, and possible dangers. There is also the question of how a variant with such isolated mutations originated and whether this is likely to continue in the future. Here, we compare the mutations in the Omicron variant with others by direct PCA to consider questions pertaining to their evolution and characterisation. The Omicron variant, like the other variants, has mutated in humans. The accumulated mutations overwhelmed the acquired immunity and caused a pandemic. Similar mutations are likely to occur in the future. Additionally, the variants infecting animals were investigated; they rapidly mutated in animals and varied from the human strains. These animal-adapted strains are probably not highly infectious or pathogenic to humans. Hence, the possibility of using these strains as vaccines will be discussed.
COVID-19-associated fungal infections in Iran: A systematic review
Authors: Nazari Tina , Sadeghi Fatemeh , Izadi Alireza , Sameni Setayesh , Mahmoudi Shahram
Published: July 2022

Objectives

This systematic review aims to summarize the mycological and clinical features of COVID-19-associated fungal infections (CAFIs) in Iran.

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, SID, Magiran, IranDoc, and Google Scholar were searched for Persian and English articles published from January 1, 2020, to November 5, 2021, using a systematic search strategy. Studies on Iranian patients suffering from CAFIs were included in the review.

Results

Twenty-two studies comprising 169 patients were retrieved. Reported CAFIs included candidiasis (85, 50.30%), mucormycosis (35, 20.71%), aspergillosis (29, 17.16%), fusariosis (6, 3.55%), three cases caused by rare pathogens(Rhodotorula mucilaginosa,Diaporthe foeniculina, andSarocladium kiliense) and 11 (6.51%) uncharacterized mold infections. The most common underlying diseases were diabetes (67/168, 39.88%), cardiovascular diseases (55/168, 32.74%), and hypertension (43/168, 25.59%). The use of antibiotics (111/124, 89.52%), corticosteroids (93/132, 70.44%), and mechanical ventilation (66, 51.16%) were the most common predisposing factors. Totally, 72 (50.35%) of 143 patients with CAFIs died (data were not available for 26 patients).

Conclusion

Fungal infections are evident to be a complication of COVID-19 in Iran; thus, clinicians should consider them as a differential diagnosis, especially in patients with comorbidities and previous antibiotic or corticosteroid use.
Suicide following hospital admission for mental health conditions, physical illness, injury and intentional self-harm in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Fernando Dasamal Tharanga , Clapperton Angela , Berecki-Gisolf Janneke
Published: July 2022

Objective

The majority of suicide decedents have had contact with health services close to their death. Some of these contacts include admissions to hospitals for physical and mental health conditions, injury and intentional self-harm. This study aims to establish and quantify the risks of suicide following hospital admission for a range of mental and physical illnesses.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was carried out on existing morbidity and mortality data in Victoria. Data was extracted from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset and the Victorian Suicide Register. Unplanned hospital admissions among adult patients (> = 15 years of age), discharged between 01 January 2011 and 31 December 2016 (2,430,154 admissions), were selected. Standardised Mortality Ratios were calculated for conditions with at least five linked suicides within one year of discharge from hospital.

Results

Forty-three conditions defined at the three-digit level of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision, were associated with at least five subsequent suicides (within one year of hospital discharge); 14 physical illnesses, 5 symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, 12 mental health conditions, and 12 types of injury and poisonings. The highest Standardised Mortality Ratios were for poisonings (range; 27.8 to 140.0) and intentional self-harm (78.8), followed by mental health conditions (range; 15.5 to 72.9), symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings (range; 1.4 to 43.2) and physical illnesses (range; 0.7 to 4.9).

Conclusions

Hospital admissions related to mental health conditions and injury and poisonings including self-harm were associated with a greater risk of suicide than physical conditions. Mental health conditions such as depressive episodes, personality disorders and psychotic episodes, injuries caused by intentional-self-harm and poisonings by certain types of drugs, carbon monoxide and hormones such as insulin can be prioritised for targeting suicide prevention initiatives for persons discharged from hospitals.
Widespread emergence of OmpK36 loop 3 insertions among multidrug-resistant clones of Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: David Sophia , Wong Joshua L. C. , Sanchez-Garrido Julia , Kwong Hok-Sau , Low Wen Wen , Morecchiato Fabio , Giani Tommaso , Rossolini Gian Maria , Brett Stephen J. , Clements Abigail , Beis Konstantinos , Aanensen David M. , Frankel Gad
Published: July 2022

Mutations in outer membrane porins act in synergy with carbapenemase enzymes to increase carbapenem resistance in the important nosocomial pathogen, Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP). A key example is a di-amino acid insertion, Glycine-Aspartate (GD), in the extracellular loop 3 (L3) region of OmpK36 which constricts the pore and restricts entry of carbapenems into the bacterial cell. Here we combined genomic and experimental approaches to characterise the diversity, spread and impact of different L3 insertion types in OmpK36. We identified L3 insertions in 3588 (24.1%) of 14,888 KP genomes with an intact ompK36 gene from a global collection. GD insertions were most common, with a high concentration in the ST258/512 clone that has spread widely in Europe and the Americas. Aspartate (D) and Threonine-Aspartate (TD) insertions were prevalent in genomes from Asia, due in part to acquisitions by KP sequence types ST16 and ST231 and subsequent clonal expansions. By solving the crystal structures of novel OmpK36 variants, we found that the TD insertion causes a pore constriction of 41%, significantly greater than that achieved by GD (10%) or D (8%), resulting in the highest levels of resistance to selected antibiotics. We show that in the absence of antibiotics KP mutants harbouring these L3 insertions exhibit both an in vitro and in vivo competitive disadvantage relative to the isogenic parental strain expressing wild type OmpK36. We propose that this explains the reversion of GD and TD insertions observed at low frequency among KP genomes. Finally, we demonstrate that strains expressing L3 insertions remain susceptible to drugs targeting carbapenemase-producing KP, including novel beta lactam-beta lactamase inhibitor combinations. This study provides a contemporary global view of OmpK36-mediated resistance mechanisms in KP, integrating surveillance and experimental data to guide treatment and drug development strategies.
The structural role of SARS-CoV-2 genetic background in the emergence and success of spike mutations: The case of the spike A222V mutation
Authors: Ginex Tiziana , Marco-Marín Clara , Wieczór Miłosz , Mata Carlos P. , Krieger James , Ruiz-Rodriguez Paula , López-Redondo Maria Luisa , Francés-Gómez Clara , Melero Roberto , Sánchez-Sorzano Carlos Óscar , Martínez Marta , Gougeard Nadine , Forcada-Nadal Alicia , Zamora-Caballero Sara , Gozalbo-Rovira Roberto , Sanz-Frasquet Carla , Arranz Rocío , Bravo Jeronimo , Rubio Vicente , Marina Alberto ,   The IBV-Covid19-Pipeline, Geller Ron , Comas Iñaki , Gil Carmen , Coscolla Mireia , Orozco Modesto , Llácer José Luis , Carazo Jose-Maria
Published: July 2022

The S:A222V point mutation, within the G clade, was characteristic of the 20E (EU1) SARS-CoV-2 variant identified in Spain in early summer 2020. This mutation has since reappeared in the Delta subvariant AY.4.2, raising questions about its specific effect on viral infection. We report combined serological, functional, structural and computational studies characterizing the impact of this mutation. Our results reveal that S:A222V promotes an increased RBD opening and slightly increases ACE2 binding as compared to the parent S:D614G clade. Finally, S:A222V does not reduce sera neutralization capacity, suggesting it does not affect vaccine effectiveness.
A protein–protein interaction map reveals that the Coxiella burnetii effector CirB inhibits host proteasome activity
Authors: Fu Mengjiao , Liu Yuchen , Wang Guannan , Wang Peng , Zhang Jianing , Chen Chen , Zhao Mingliang , Zhang Shan , Jiao Jun , Ouyang Xuan , Yu Yonghui , Wen Bohai , He Chengzhi , Wang Jian , Zhou Dongsheng , Xiong Xiaolu
Published: July 2022

Coxiella burnetiiis the etiological agent of the zoonotic disease Q fever, which is featured by its ability to replicate in acid vacuoles resembling the lysosomal network. One key virulence determinant ofC.burnetiiis the Dot/Icm system that transfers more than 150 effector proteins into host cells. These effectors function to construct the lysosome-like compartment permissive for bacterial replication, but the functions of most of these effectors remain elusive. In this study, we used an affinity tag purification mass spectrometry (AP-MS) approach to generate aC.burnetii-human protein-protein interaction (PPI) map involving 53C.burnetiieffectors and 3480 host proteins. This PPI map revealed that theC.burnetiieffector CBU0425 (designated CirB) interacts with most subunits of the 20S core proteasome. We found that ectopically expressed CirB inhibits hydrolytic activity of the proteasome. In addition, overexpression of CirB inC.burnetiicaused dramatic inhibition of proteasome activity in host cells, while knocking down CirB expression alleviated such inhibitory effects. Moreover, we showed that a region of CirB that spans residues 91–120 binds to the proteasome subunit PSMB5 (beta 5). Finally, PSMB5 knockdown promotesC.burnetiivirulence, highlighting the importance of proteasome activity modulation during the course ofC.burnetiiinfection.
Potential and action mechanism of favipiravir as an antiviral against Junin virus
Authors: Zadeh Vahid Rajabali , Afowowe Tosin Oladipo , Abe Haruka , Urata Shuzo , Yasuda Jiro
Published: July 2022

Favipiravir is a nucleoside analogue that inhibits the replication and transcription of a broad spectrum of RNA viruses, including pathogenic arenaviruses. In this study, we isolated a favipiravir-resistant mutant of Junin virus (JUNV), which is the causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever, and analyzed the antiviral mechanism of favipiravir against JUNV. Two amino acid substitutions, N462D in the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and A168T in the glycoprotein precursor GPC, were identified in the mutant. GPC-A168T substitution enhanced the efficiency of JUNV internalization, which explains the robust replication kinetics of the mutant in the virus growth analysis. Although RdRp-N462D substitution did not affect polymerase activity levels in a minigenome system, comparisons of RdRp error frequencies showed that the virus with RdRp-D462 possessed a significantly higher fidelity. Our next generation sequence (NGS) analysis showed a gradual accumulation of both mutations as we passaged the virus in presence of favipiravir. We also provided experimental evidence for the first time that favipiravir inhibited JUNV through the accumulation of transition mutations, confirming its role as a purine analogue against arenaviruses. Moreover, we showed that treatment with a combination of favipiravir and either ribavirin or remdesivir inhibited JUNV replication in a synergistic manner, blocking the generation of the drug-resistant mutant. Our findings provide new insights for the clinical management and treatment of Argentine hemorrhagic fever.
Bet-hedging antimicrobial strategies in macrophage phagosome acidification drive the dynamics of Cryptococcus neoformans intracellular escape mechanisms
Authors: Dragotakes Quigly , Jacobs Ella , Ramirez Lia Sanchez , Yoon Olivia Insun , Perez-Stable Caitlin , Eden Hope , Pagnotta Jenlu , Vij Raghav , Bergman Aviv , D’Alessio Franco , Casadevall Arturo
Published: July 2022

The fungusCryptococcus neoformansis a major human pathogen with a remarkable intracellular survival strategy that includes exiting macrophages through non-lytic exocytosis (Vomocytosis) and transferring between macrophages (Dragotcytosis) by a mechanism that involves sequential events of non-lytic exocytosis and phagocytosis. Vomocytosis and Dragotcytosis are fungal driven processes, but their triggers are not understood. We hypothesized that the dynamics of Dragotcytosis could inherit the stochasticity of phagolysosome acidification and that Dragotcytosis was triggered by fungal cell stress. Consistent with this view, fungal cells involved in Dragotcytosis reside in phagolysosomes characterized by low pH and/or high oxidative stress. Using fluorescent microscopy, qPCR, live cell video microscopy, and fungal growth assays we found that the that mitigating pH or oxidative stress reduced Dragotcytosis frequency, whereas ROS susceptible mutants ofC.neoformansunderwent Dragotcytosis more frequently. Dragotcytosis initiation was linked to phagolysosomal pH, oxidative stresses, and macrophage polarization state. Dragotcytosis manifested stochastic dynamics thus paralleling the dynamics of phagosomal acidification, which correlated with the inhospitality of phagolysosomes in differently polarized macrophages. Hence, randomness in phagosomal acidification randomly created a population of inhospitable phagosomes where fungal cell stress triggered stochasticC.neoformansnon-lytic exocytosis dynamics to escape a non-permissive intracellular macrophage environment.
Aesthetics in Claymation: An Exploration of Adam Elliot
Authors: Floyd Taylor
Published: July 2022

This article aims to explore the films of Adam Elliot to assist in defining an aesthetic of claymation filmmaking using an experimental rubric. This study identified patterns among Elliot’s filmmaking that are influenced by claymation and could be repeated in other films. The rubric can now be applied to a claymation film produced by another director to conduct a comparative analysis, identifying the patterns that define the aesthetic of claymation.
“No, I Am the Man”: Hierarchical Male Homosociality in The Avengers (2012)
Authors: Yuen Sharon K.
Published: July 2022

The manuscript is an analysis of homosociality among the male Avengers in the first film depicting the unification of the superhero team. It argues that The Avengers replicates and valorizes hierarchical homosociality as the preferred method of communication and unifying force among the male Avengers, thereby maintaining hegemonic masculinity and the gender hegemony in the superhero franchise. This article’s focus on homosociality takes on a different approach to analyzing gender in superhero films as it takes an in-depth look at same-sex interactions in a group setting, as opposed to the individual gender identities of the characters.
Getting Tested for Monsterdom: Frankenstein and Ex Machina
Authors: Green Chris Van
Published: July 2022

“Getting Tested for Monsterdom: Frankenstein and Ex Machina” advances our understanding of what it means to be a monster. We might conceive of monsters as beings that look grotesque and/or that act maliciously with intent. However, there is a vast gray area as to why one should or should not be labeled a monster. This article will discuss the unjust physical expectations leveled toward “monsters” and give a new line of application to the nature vs. nurture theory.
MT/D, or change: An anti-racist musical theatre reading group
Authors: Galella Donatella , Asare Masi , Ealey Jordan , SAJ  , Kim Hye Won , Morrison Matthew D. , Moten Fred , Shimakawa Karen , Shimizu Celine Parreñas
Published: July 2022

In this roundtable held at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education conference in 2021, the participants discussed the racialized politics of citation in musical theatre studies. Some of the speakers lifted up anti-racist scholarly pieces that have significantly shaped their work: SAJ considered Douglas Jones Jr’s chapter ‘Slavery, performance, and the design of African American theatre’, Jordan Ealey shared lessons from Matthew D. Morrison’s article ‘The sound(s) of subjection: Constructing American popular music and racial identity through Blacksound’, Masi Asare expanded upon Fred Moten’s essay ‘Taste, dissonance, flavor, escape’ to think through sweeping away and stealing away, Donatella Galella applied Karen Shimakawa’s book National Abjection: The Asian American Body Onstage to contemporary yellowface, and Hye Won Kim talked about the influence of Celine Parreñas Shimizu’s book The Hypersexuality of Race: Performing Asian/American Women on Screen and Scene on her own work. Morrison, Moten, Shimakawa and Shimizu reflected on why they wrote those pieces of scholarship and how they understand their research years later. Finally, the co-authors spoke to reasons why scholars situated in musical theatre studies have so rarely cited research in fields like Black and Asian American performance studies and imagined radical possibilities beyond a racist citation framework.
From Camelot to Spamalot: Musical Retellings of Arthurian Legend on Stage and Screen, Megan Woller (2021)
Authors: Rush Adam
Published: July 2022

Review of: From Camelot to Spamalot: Musical Retellings of Arthurian Legend on Stage and Screen, Megan Woller (2021)

New York: Oxford University Press, 248 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-19751-103-9, p/bk, GBP £22.99
Hipoacusia súbita y COVID-19. Revisión sistemática
Authors: Sanz-Sánchez Cristina Isabel , Pérez-Arcos José Antonio , Verge-González Jesús Carlos , Cazorla-Ramos Óscar Emilio
Published: July 2022

Introducción: Se han incrementado los casos de sordera súbita, acúfeno y neuritis vestibular relacionados con la infección por SARS-CoV-2. Objetivo: Realizar una revisión sistemática de los casos publicados de hipoacusia súbita en el contexto de una infección por SARS-CoV-2 y discutir la potencial asociación de la infección como posible agente etiológico. Material y método: Se realizó una búsqueda sistemática en PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library y Scielo, sin restricción de idioma, incluyendo todos los artículos publicados desde marzo del 2020 hasta el 31 de enero de 2022. Resultados: Un total de 16 artículos cumplieron los criterios de inclusión, obteniendo 30 pacientes con sordera súbita y COVID-19. El 53% fueron mujeres y el 47% hombres con una edad media de 46,75 años. 4 pacientes presentaron factores de riesgo cardiovascular, uno asma, otro artritis reumatoide y 10 no presentaron antecedentes. 25 tuvieron una sordera unilateral y en 5 casos fue bilateral. Se encontraron todos los grados de hipoacusia, desde leves a cofosis. El acúfeno fue el síntoma más comúnmente asociado la mitad de los pacientes, acompañado de vértigo en un 10%. 14 pacientes precisaron ingreso en UCI, 9 no recibieron tratamiento para la infección, un paciente recibió hidroxicloroquina, 2 favipavir y enoxaparina y 2 azitromicina y prednisona. El implante coclear fue el tratamiento de la hipoacusia en 2 casos, uno fue tratado con hidroxicloroquina y 23 con corticoides intravenosos y/o orales y/o intratimpánicos. Conclusiones: La hipoacusia súbita es un síntoma recientemente asociado a la infección por SARS-CoV-2 y de prevalencia incierta. Se debe considerar la presencia de hipoacusia como parte de la evaluación clínica de estos pacientes para garantizar un diagnóstico y tratamiento tempranos.
Reducing data silos created through reporting proliferation from individualized dashboards using NLP methodologies
Authors: Rathour Karan , Shashidhar Shiven , Xiang Carol , Yang Fre , Chawla Depak
Published: July 2022

Google’s SAS team is responsible (in part) forproviding actionable insightsto teams of Account Strategists (AS).In some cases AS’ createdata silos and individualized dashboards, leading to fragmentation of insights and confusions around core metrics. To reduce this fagmentation and to create a single source of truth, the CMU team recommeded GoogleCommencetier-based migration of the custom-dashboardsto Connect Sales and Discovery platforms utilizing topic modeling and survey analyses results. The eventual future state that SAS team should strive for is democratizing reporting use cases via aSelf Service Data Mart, a platform that is based on a single, well-managed data repository.
GI Hemorrhage From an Arterio-Enteric Fistula From a Failed Pancreas Allograft
Authors: David Robin , Trieu Judy A. , Shokoohi Susanne
Published: July 2022

Arterio-enteric fistulas involving pancreas allograft are rare complications of transplantation that manifest as gastrointestinal bleeding. We discuss the case of a 34-year-old patient with failed pancreas transplant who presented with recurrent sentinel bleeding before catastrophic hemorrhage. Multiple endoscopies did not identify the source of bleeding, and subsequent angiography demonstrated a fistulous connection between the transplanted pancreatic artery and the small bowel. A stent graft was placed with immediate stabilization. We provide a review of the literature and discuss the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management of arterio-enteric fistulas to highlight the importance of early recognition and intervention in preventing life-threatening bleeding.
Religious Diversity and Philanthropy in Social Work Practices: Intervention Capital in Empowerment
Authors: Alfi Imam , Halwati Umi
Published: July 2022

This article focuses on how philanthropy and religious diversity become capital in the practice of social work. Qualitative research with a library research approach was used in this study. Data and information were carried out by searching libraries, books, documentation, journals or research results related to the object of research. Data analysis uses content analysis. This study found that religion is not only seen as an-sich doctrine, but as a social process so that it can reduce ideological clashes so as to create a harmonious life. Result also found that religious diversity as a national asset must be treated and preserved in humanitarian work. Religious diversity can be found through the social philanthropy movement for humanitarian programs. Through the philanthropic movement part of the capital in the intervention process. Community participation in a sustainable, targeted and organized manner is a meeting point. Thus, empowerment through the capital of religious pluralism and philanthropy can encourage a more just society's welfare. Keywords: Philanthropy, religious diversity, empowerment, social work intervention
Counseling in Social Work Practices during the Covid-19
Authors: Subardhini Meiti
Published: July 2022

This study aims to describe the practice of counseling during the COVID-19 period, surveying several clients. This study was conducted using a qualitative method. With data collection techniques, namely interviews and documentation studies of several clients who had attended counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the obstacles felt by the client, including: limited time, difficult to convey problems, not awake, network constraints, difficulty interpreting responses / difficult body language to read and so on. Likewise, counselors who provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic with distance counseling, there are several things that become obstacles, such as: obstacles in exploring problems due to limitations in interpreting the client's body language except through voice intonation, alternative choices of action / solutions are limited to technique. or short therapy / brief therapy etc. Therefore, the results of the researchers recommend that social workers in conducting long-distance counseling with the media pay attention to the following: 1) advantages and disadvantages in counseling services; 2) the use of technological assistance in the counseling service is courageous; 3) form of courageous counseling accuracy; 4) access to applications for courageous counseling services; 5) legal and regulatory aspects in the use of technology in counseling; 6) technical matters relating to technology in business and law if services are provided between regions or countries.Keywords: Remote Counseling, Social Work Practice, Covid-19
Juridical Ontologies of Production and the Ricardian Machine
Authors: Quentin Clair
Published: July 2022

This article uses doctrinal analysis of UK tax law to address the question in political economy of where the ‘production boundary’ around value creation lies. It concludes that the ‘classical’ production boundary around material production may be encountered as an emergent feature of forensic investigations of the ontology of surplus in real world commercial contexts. This is particularly important for political economists of the global production network because of the contrasting structural phenomenon whereby value is predominantly added in immaterial production processes.
Determination of accident scenarios via freely available accident databases
Authors: Bauder Maximilian , Lecheler Katrin , Wech Lothar , Böhm Klaus , Paula Daniel , Schweiger Hans-Georg
Published: July 2022

The derivation of real accident scenarios from accident databases represents an important task within vehicle safety research. Simulations are increasingly used for this purpose. Depending on the research interest, a wide range of accident databases exists worldwide, which differ mainly in the number of recorded data per accident and availability. This work aims to identify critical vehicle-to-vehicle accidents based on freely available accident databases to derive concrete scenarios for a subsequent simulation. For this purpose, the method of the pre-crash matrix is applied using the example of the freely available Crash Investigation Sampling System database of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. An analysis of existing databases worldwide shows that this is the most detailed, freely available database. The derivation of scenarios succeeds here by a new method, whereby a center of gravity calculation is carried out based on the damages of the vehicles according to Collision Deformation Classification nomenclature. In addition, the determination of other necessary parameters, as well as the limits of the database, is shown in order to derive a scenario that can be simulated. As a result, the constellations of the five most frequent vehicle-to-vehicle accident scenarios according to the Crash Investigation Sampling System database are presented. In particular, other institutions should follow National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s example and make data freely available for accident research.
Women’s Entrepreneurship Policy and Access to Financial Capital in Different Countries: An Institutional Perspective
Authors: Henry Colette , Coleman Susan , Orser Barbara , Foss Lene
Published: July 2022

This paper explores women’s entrepreneurship policy and practice in three different countries: Canada, Ireland and the U.S. We focus specifically on policies relating to access to financial capital, and ask: How are ‘access to financial capital’ policies and practices operationalized at national and regional level? We draw on institutional theory to identify gaps in policy and practice, and to highlight similarities and differences between countries. We contribute a novel perspective on women’s entrepreneurship policy by drawing attention to the underlying institutional pillars and the importance of institutional fit in informing a coherent and future-looking policy framework. Our findings enhance understanding of how ‘access to financial capital’ policies and practices geared toward women entrepreneurs reflect different institutional contexts.